#nah son my team got away earlier i know that

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITAH for telling my wife no?

My wife (35f) and I (38m) have been married for 12 years, dated for 3 before that. We have 3 kids (10m, 7f, and 5f). We both work full time in separate fields, she does some chemistry thing that I don't understand and I am a manager at a computer repair store my friend runs, and also a short story writer when its slow. She is definitely the breadwinner bill payer between the two of us, but I bring in the fun money for our family and would be completely listless if I didn't at least work part time. We also fully own our home because of her job.

Also, my parents watch the kids for us during the week when we are working. It's been this way since our son was born, and they've been doing it less since they are all in school. But it's free childcare, they refuse to accept money unless it's reimbursing for buying food.

Ok, now that all of that backstory is set, here's where the problem begins.

A couple of months ago my wife started pepper into conversations about a possible promotion coming up that would get her out of the lab and into a more "manage the lab team" position, with less dangerous hours for more pay. Ever since the first time she mentioned it I've been hyping her up and telling her she's a shoo in for the promotion, especially since she's been working there since her masters internship and now she has a PhD.

Last night she told me she was getting word today if she got it! After she left for work this morning I called my boss up and told him I couldn't come in today, and then told my parents the kids were saying with me. We spent the day cleaning the house, drawing congratulations cards, and making a congratulations banner. We also made a couple cards that say sorry and we love you for if she didn't get it. I was working on making her favorite dinner (lobster rolls with lobster bisque, because she's a fancy lady) when she got home earlier than normal. Everyone was surprised, because noone is usually home at this time and yet here everyone was. She got tears in her eyes seeing everything we were still working on, got down and hugged our two youngest, and said she got the promotion! Cheering all around! And that's when she dropped the bomb, saying we need to get a realtor in a state three away from us so we can relocate within the next two months.

I was stunned, and just said no, we arent moving for this promotion. In all of her talks she never mentioned that the promotion wasn't for the same location she's been at. All of our family is here, her parents and mine, all of our friends are here, my job is here. She insisted that she's mentioned relocating before but I swear she never did. That set of a completely new argument about never listening to her and only hearing what I want to hear, and how this will make it so I can stay home with the kids and not even need a fun money job. During this I noticed she was typing on her phone, and when I asked why she was multitasking an argument she said she was texting my parents to get the kids so they don't have to see this.

When my parents got here they congratulated her on the promotion and asked how long until we move.

She told my parents the promotion included relocation.

I'm typing this on the couch in the basement, because I can't face her right now. My parents knowing means she probably did say we would need to move if she got it. I don't want to move, I like my job, and our house. I like being near my parents. I know this would practically set us for life but I don't want to. I know I'm being selfish, and I know I must not be listening when she talks, but I still don't think she should accept the promotion. I still think no.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[museaway]

for @tomatocages, who trick or treated via DM! ty for visiting! you receive this mug cake scene from an unfinished sheith WIP

untitled

VLD / sheith (referenced). scene from the sequel to the incomprehensible vastness of space. in it, Shiro & Hunk are talking in the ship's kitchen. it references Shiro's past trauma from the original fic involving fear of healing pods

There wasn’t much to do besides wait for the ship to arrive. His bayard and uniform were clean, and training before a mission would only mean going into the situation exhausted, which wasn’t productive from a physical or mental perspective. It was best to do what Lance said. Shiro headed to the kitchen hoping there might be something left over.

The prepared food, though technically nutritious, couldn’t provide the satisfaction of biting into char-grilled ribeye or a big damn bowl of guacamole. Hunk tried his best to recreate the flavors from back home, but apart from those first few meals after Keith had broken him out of Galra captivity, when anything would’ve tasted better than the crap they force-fed the fighters, the last meal Shiro had truly enjoyed had been a pizza Keith had brought over before Shiro left Earth.

Shiro took his time, walking through the corridors at a leisurely pace. He’d had plenty of time to explore when he’d first come on board, since he hadn’t been a member of the crew and it was often days that Keith was away. In the time between becoming team leader and Zarkon falling ill, all he’d done in these corridors was run.

The kitchen lights were spilling into the corridor. Someone was humming. Shiro knocked twice before he entered, poking his head through the open doorway. 

“With you in a second,” Hunk said. 

He was standing next to the ship’s equivalent of a microwave and looking at his watch. He nodded every second. After six nods, he stopped the cooking cycle and took out a container. The room filled with the scent of chocolate.

“What are you making?” Shiro said.

“Mug cake. You want one?”

“What’s a mug cake?”

“It’s a cake in a mug. For times you want cake, but not a whole cake. It’s actually more like a brownie. And these cylinders were the closest thing I could find to a mug on the ship. Want me to make you one?”

“Uh, sure.”

Hunk handed him the one he’d just taken out. “Eat that while it’s hot,” he said, turning back to the counter and beginning to prep another. “These beans taste almost like chocolate. I wonder if they could be related.”

“You should ask Matt to do a DNA test.” Shiro took his first bite, almost too hot to eat. It scalded his tongue, but the chocolate flavor was so strong and authentic, his eyes watered. 

“How is it?” Hunk asked.

“Amazing.” 

Hunk grinned and put the second cake in to cook, keeping his eyes on his watch. “Hey, Shiro...that stuff Allura was saying earlier. You know we all trust you, right?”

Shiro took another bite and rolled it around in his mouth to cool it before swallowing. “I didn’t know she felt that way about Keith. What was it like when they worked together?”

“They’ve never been especially close, but it got a lot worse when Keith found out he was half Galran. I would think that’s still the reason, except Lotor’s Galran too—and Zarkon’s son. I mean, of the two of them, I can tell you which one I don’t trust. And...done!” 

Hunk took out the steaming cake and stood next to Shiro to eat, leaning one elbow on the counter. 

“What don’t you trust about him?” Shiro said.

“I can’t put my finger on it exactly,” Hunk said through a mouthful of cake. “He’s too good of a guy, you know? Always says the right things, has connections right where we need them, plus—have you looked at him? He’s pretty handsome. If we’re being honest, he’s probably the best looking guy I’ve ever seen.”

“Are you...?” Shiro said, raising one eyebrow.

“Nah,” Hunk said, catching his meaning. “I just have eyes. Though come to think of it, Keith’s not bad looking either. Maybe I have a thing for Galra. Hey, what are you gonna do if he grows another couple feet?”

It was possible, given Krolia’s size. Keith’s dad had died years before Shiro met Keith, but he’d seen a few pictures. Tex (his firehouse nickname, according to Keith—Shiro didn’t know his real one) must’ve been around Shiro’s height. He tried to imagine what Keith would look like with a few more inches and a thicker build. Shiro had never been into guys who were bigger than he was. He’d had Adam by thirty pounds even though they were about the same height. 

“I’ve never kissed anyone taller than me,” he said. 

“Oh, oh...I just got a mental image of that.”

Shiro laughed. “So what are you planning to do once this is all over?”

“Over like... we’ve passed the torch?” Hunk thought about it for a moment. “I want to go see my family. After that, I don’t know. I really thought I wanted to be part of the Garrison, but now I’m wondering if that’s the right path for me. What about you?”

“I don’t know,” Shiro said. 

“I guess it’ll depend on what Keith’s doing, huh.”

“I think he’s going to stay with the Blade,” Shiro said.

“Wow.” Hunk took another bite. “I couldn’t believe how different he looks. He’s really changed. The old Keith would have blown up in that meeting. You think it’s his mom’s influence?”

“Maybe.” Shiro finished the last bite of cake and put the container and spoon in the dishwasher. Since he couldn’t survive on snacks, he dispensed a cup of prepared food.

“If you’re still hungry, I can make you something else,” Hunk offered.

“This is fine. Make me that cake again sometime, will you?”

“I’ll teach you. Then you can make it for Keith.” Hunk scraped the last of his from his cylinder. “I don’t want to brag, but this was really good.”

“Have you ever thought of cooking professionally?”

“I’m worried that might take the fun out of it, you know?”

Shiro had to think about that for a moment. He’d spent his early twenties obsessed with accomplishing as much as possible before his body betrayed him. Splitting his time between physical training and logging as many flight hours as allowed by regulation, he’d put aside hobbies. The only activity he could have considered stress relief with sex, and even then it hadn’t been fun by the end. 

At least that had changed with Keith, although they’d only been together a handful of times. That might explain the intensity. Shiro had yet to be in bed with Keith and want to be anywhere else. He longed for those weeks when he’d been recovering and they spent all of their time together. They’d probably never be like that again, except for long weekends if they could both manage to take one. He sighed.

“You look tired,” Hunk said. 

Shiro blinked. They’d just left Olkarion. He’d caught up on a week of sleep and had plenty of fresh air and sunlight, but all the fresh air in the universe couldn’t heal his genes.

“If you need to use a healing pod...” Hunk continued. “I know Matt goes with you. Totally cool if you’re not comfortable with me, but just putting it out there. If you want me to come with you, it’s no problem.”

It had been over a week since his last cycle. Shiro ran his hand through his hair. “I didn’t want you to have to see me like that.”

Hunk laughed. “Everyone on this team has seen me puke multiple times. I think you’re the only one I haven’t thrown up on.”

“If you really wouldn’t mind, a quick cycle’s not a bad idea.”

“Sure.” Hunk grinned. “Let me just grab a snack.”

“What was the cake?”

“Appetizer.”

Hunk ate a vegetable Shiro couldn’t pronounce as they walked to the medical bay. “Do I have to do anything while you’re in there?” he said.

“It’s pretty rare that it happens, but if it looks like I’m in distress, press the red button.”

“Claustrophobia?”

“Sort of.”

“But you’re okay in the Lions?” Hunk asked. 

Shiro really hadn’t spoken about his time in captivity with anyone but Keith. Even Matt only knew a few details.

“The healing pods are similar to ones they threw us into when I was still fighting,” he said. “They didn’t open from the inside and sometimes they forgot about you.”

“Sounds horrifying,” Hunk said.

“It’s in the past. I just wanted to be honest about what the problem is. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep it between us. Pidge is still young, and I don’t want her knowing about that.”

“I won’t say a thing,” Hunk said, and when he smiled, it was less the smile of an admiring kid and more of a friend’s. 

He settled into Matt’s pillow nest while Shiro changed. Hunk was right. In spite of the sleep and good food lately, there were shadows under his eyes when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. 

“Oh,” Hunk moaned from the other room. “This is so comfortable. Shiro, I’m coming with you every time.”

He said Shiro looked better after the cycle had completed. If Shiro dreamed, he didn’t remember it. There was still half a day before they reached their destination. Sleep it was. Hunk walked Shiro back to his room. 

“I’m fine,” Shiro assured him. “It’s only when I’m in the pod.”

“I don’t need Keith mad at me because I didn’t take good care of you.”

Hunk clapped him on the shoulder and went into his own room. 

Shiro lay in the dark for a long time, but his mind wouldn’t rest. He tapped his watch to bring up Keith’s contact information. He was out of range. Shiro opened a new message anyway, at a loss for what to say. He typed miss you but erased it. He didn’t need to make Keith feel worse than he already did being apart. 

In the end, what he sent was, Hunk’s going to teach me to bake.

#inbox trick or treating #sheith #replies #my writing tag #fic: TIVOS

[whalehouse1]

Not sure if this is a controversial take or a crack take, but I want Cass and Kyle teaming up. Like if Cass ever gets her own team like Dick got the Titans, Jason got the outlaws/task force-x (neither I have any desire to read if I’m being honest), Tim got Young Justice, Damian should have gotten the Super Sons but gets a deaged Titans again, I want Kyle Rayner to be there. This came before I knew or saw them do anything in canon and I thought Kyle in the artwork made him around where I thought Cass’s age was. I might have been wholly off, but it’s DC, who cares about that in the first place. But then a song comes on and you imagine him serenading her on the guitar just off key enough to still be endearing but not creepy. Him meeting her at a ballet recital he got tickets to for doing the artwork and him saying how ballet is dumb and she just gives him a death glare and him trying to retrace his steps to say it’s stupid to him but not to her while failing horribly. Then a supervillain attacks and he goes lantern and she goes Orphan and they work decently well together. They chat a bit after the fight and trade information if he’s ever in Gotham or she’s in LA. But she’s a bat, she already knows his milkshake order and going “Green Lantern is a justice league member, he can know my identity” sneaks into his room with food and they just chat. They talk on the phone every now and then, and Kyle starts to fall for her. He hangs with her every chance he gets and when he gets to go to league meetings he seeks her out and everyone can tell he has a crush on her, except her. Despite her body reading skills, she doesn’t get quite why he’s reacting to her like that cause she isn’t leading him on, he must be thinking about something else to make him act like this and she can’t figure out why. Until he finally tells her that he likes her and she just responds with she likes him to but only as a friend. Kyle of course is saddened by this but because of how cocky he is, believes this must mean she is into girls, that’s the only logical explanation. So the next few times they meet up as civilians he brings along a girl and asks Cass what she thinks of them and makes comments as superheroes about other superheroines. Cass explains this to Steph who laughs and tells her what Kyle’s brain is thinking. Next meet up she tells him before he introduces his next target for her potential love life that she is not interested in guys nor girls nor love. She has no romantic or sexual feelings at all. She then goes on to say she doesn’t know if it’s because of her upbringing or if she’s broken fundamentally and Kyle just waves it away. “Nah, you’re fine. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I wouldn’t have kept making you uncomfortable.” “But I wasn’t, you were there and you’re a good person. You’d never make someone feel bad on purpose.” She offers him a soft smile and puts her hand on his. He still serenades her and most people who see them hanging out just the two of them think they’re an adorable couple when really, they’re just amazing friends who both talk to each other in sweet affections that come from loving the other one, one in a way that he used to want more but has moved, and the other in a way that shows she knows how kind the other is and can trust him. Just them at the park racing through trees, having stupid fast food meet ups, her at his art galleries (people are wondering why Bruce Wayne from Gotham showed up for this no named artist), him sandwiched between Bruce and Alfred at one of her dance recitals, them sitting on public stairs drinking slushies and making fun of the other one for getting a brain freeze. Literally any kind of ship art you can think of, just all done platonically. And this is literally how I started to ship these two by just seeing their designs and going “cute” and hearing a cute couple song after it. This all was within about 20 minutes of finding out Kyle existed btw.

#kyle rayner #cassandra cain #green lantern #orphan #black bat #it’s just wholesome and I love everything about it #even more when I found out he’s apparently Bruce’s favorite lantern #or the only one he likes #and that he’s Jason’s friend in either fanon or canon couldn’t find that one out as of yet #but yeah me not being able to tell ages in comics and being a natural born shipper has caused this

[hyakunana]

Meanwhile, in Wispermill...

#octopath traveler #ot #octopath #square enix #ophilia clement #therion #cyrus albright #mattias #fanart #comic #i may be biased bc i was reading ffxv book along with my octopath gameplay - but mattias gives huge ardyn vibes #if the game doesnt give me proper char interactions during the story then im gonna do it myself #bc its unacceptable i had therion in my team and yet i had to wait lianna to arrive w the keys #nah son my team got away earlier i know that #out of curiosity the 4th member was h'aanit and she was prob sleeping at the corner w linde #didnt have better ideas to put her there - plus her hard language yelp #speaking of galdera gUESS WHO BEAT THAT GODLY MOTHERF BINCHES #im current in the hunt of all the treasures but ngl im hella tired by now #i still wanna replay some main lines and do the lone traveler achievement but idk if i put the treasures aside or not #OH YEAH AND I ALSO WATCHED MY NOW-FAVORITE TAVERN BANTER THANK YOU SQUARE FOR THE DRINKING CONTEST AND OLBYN CONTENT #i thought i already had enough with the aching back and the wedding talk bUT HOW WELL FED I WAS AFTER THAT IS2G #IS THEIR SHIP REALLY UNDERRATED?? HOW???? ? /? ? ?V? #anywya merry xmas chosen ones reading my tags until here!!

[purpleyellow]

The audacity

Seventeen 14th member

Hayun’s masterlist

“Seventeen won’t take bs when it comes to Hayun”

Requested by: two (2) anons    

cw: offensive language

a/n: Feel free to share your thoughts with me. Requests are open! 💙

(to my brazilians around, this gif is svt’s version of ninguem solta a mão de ninguem)

The arrival of dancers made the practice room even more crowded and noisy than usual. It was one of the few times Seventeen worked with an outside dance team, and they happened to have a lot of new faces around, who needed time to figure out the staging and how things were working so far.

After they ran through the choreography a couple of times, the choreographer called in a break, allowing the huge group to instantly clear the middle space and separate themselves into small circles of conversations.

Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua instantly met each other and began chatting about dinner plans and whatnot. Slowly approaching Jun and Wonwoo, the oldest filled them in on what they're deciding until he starts searching for someone.

“So, we could order it on the next break and have someone grab it for us. Anyway, did anyone see Hayun?”

“Making friends, as usual,” Wonwoo comments, pointing at the other corner of the room where the girl was surrounded by four dancers.

“Hayun-ah” The leader waves her over and waits as she jogs to his side “We're talking about dinner, what do you think about-”

“Oh, those guys were talking about this new restaurant that opened downtown, I was thinking of tagging along with them” She points back at the group and watches as her members nod “But I can cancel, of course”

“No, go ahead. It's just a meal” Joshua goes to wave her off when Seungkwan approaches them with crossed arms.

“Yeah. Just a meal. Until she's suddenly ditching us during the holidays and moving out with her new friends” The boy pouts, turning his face away from the group. Hayun reaches up to ruffle his hair before landing a soft slap.

“Says the dude who is friends with half of the entertainment industry” Ignoring his eye roll, she turns back to the rest of their little huddle “Well, if nobody else will feel betrayed”

“I was kidding” Seungkwan whines and Scoups pushes her away from them “Stop being dramatic and go do your mingling”

Going back to the group of dancers, Hayun resumes chatting with them for a couple of minutes before the break is over.

After more hours of running over every tiny detail for the stage, the rehearsal finally ends and the scattering of people begins. Hayun takes a couple of minutes talking about minor adjustments with the members and just checking up on them before searching for the four friends she had made that evening.

“Hey, how do you guys plan on heading there?” She asks, taking a sip from her water bottle and missing the glances between the two boys and two girls.

“Actually, we might have to do it another day,” The girl closest to her says and flips a hair strand off of Hayun's shoulder. “We got pretty tired from this last session”

“And work tomorrow it's going to start pretty early, you know. It's best to let this go for today,” The boy nods to her before pulling out his phone from his pocket and slightly turning away from the idol.

“Yeah, I get it. That's okay, we'll reschedule it then” Hayun smiles and gives them a thumbs up “I'll head to the dorms, then. Have a good rest, and tomorrow we'll talk more”.

Sending her some quick waves and small smiles, the four dancers waited for Hayun to turn around before sharing an annoyed look and sighing.

The practice room slowly grows empty, only leaving Wonwoo and Vernon who lost an incredible game of rock, paper, scissors, and had to stay behind to clean up everything. Finally turning off the lights, the two boys head out into the hallway and spot a group of four people standing by the entrance.

“Aren't those the people Hayun was talking to earlier,” Vernon asks quietly before a voice from the group reaches them.

“Why is this damn cab taking so long? We should have let that airhead tag along”.

“Agreed. She would have talked our ears off, but at least we would have made it to the club already”.

Sharing a look, the two idols stop walking and listen closely to understand if the dancers are talking about what the boys think they're talking about.

“That was so stupid. Why would you invite her in the first place? She's so annoying”.

“I mean, having an idol considering you a friend would be fun, right? Especially with the Christmas season coming up. Can you imagine the gifts she would buy us?”

“Yeah, dude. We wouldn't even need to worry about paying for stuff anymore. Just have Hayun tag along anywhere and, boom, no more tabs to pay.”

“But also, no more functioning eardrums”

“No, you have a point. She seems like she'd give us her credit card password on the third time we hung out. Not to mention, looking at her position in contrast with ours. You don't even have to befriend her, but be on her good side, and she'll make sure to give us more gigs within Pledis”.

Standing frozen, Wonwoo and Vernon listened to everything they were saying and shared looks of disbelief. Having enough of it, the oldest cleared his throat and slung his bag, making it hit his own back with enough force to make a thumping sound.

“Let's go, Vernon,” He ignored the four people standing before them with wide eyes and resumed walking. Once shoulder to shoulder with one of the dancers, Wonwoo stopped again and said while looking ahead, “Next time, be careful of whom you're talking about”.

Vernon, on the other hand, made eye contact with each dancer before raising one eyebrow and following the oldest. After closing the car door, he groaned annoyed, “Can you believe they had… ”

“… the fucking audacity” Jeonghan places his cup on the table, face showcasing utter disgust after Wonwoo told him what they had listened before leaving the Pledis building.

“Show me who those people are again tomorrow. I'll make sure they never step inside our practice room, ever again,” Hoshi points out.

“Is there a way of not having them tomorrow? I'm afraid Scoups Hyung might commit murder” Dokyeom brought attention to the leader standing on the corner of the kitchen.

Looking like he was plotting an illegal act, Seungcheol scoffs and pushed himself away from the cabinets. “The bare minimum you would expect from someone is that they can be professional. I swear, those people are getting an earful for talking about Hayun within a billion-meter ratio from where I work”.

“It's best to let it rest until tomorrow's performance is done. After we'll probably never see them again, so there's not much point causing any visible disturbance.” Laying a hand on the leader's arm, Woozi tried to make some sort of sense, but all it did was cause Scoups to roll his eyes.

“We can't just act like nothing happened”

“We also can't change anything about the choreography until then” Hoshi butts in and takes a breath trying not to jump in the 'let's hunt them down' train.

“They already know Wonwoo and Vernon heard them trash-talking her, so I'm not letting them have it easy tomorrow.” Jeonghan rolls his eyes and pointed to both Woozi and Hoshi, “I'm speaking my mind the first moment I see those sons of bitches, you're free to wait until the show's over”.

“About that, I don't think we should tell Hayun what happened” Joshua, who had been quiet the entire time, speaks, drawing attention to him. “Not until, as you said, the show is over, and we won't see them again. You know that she's probably going to get disappointed about it”.

“And you expect her to not go running to meet her new 'friends' once we arrive at the venue?” Wonwoo raises an eyebrow, but Mingyu shakes his head and backs the older up.

“We just have to keep her entertained around us. Fill in Dino, Seungkwan, and Myungho later, and have them help with making sure the group doesn't run into her”.

Raising his hand, Vernon casually mumbles “Maybe don't tell Seungkwan, he won't be able to hide his feelings about the whole thing”

“Myungho won't either” Jun comments and the room falls silent at the sound of the remaining members chatting and approaching the kitchen.

“Wow, you make a meeting and forget to call in the main characters” Hayun laughs walking through the room and opening the fridge for a beer “So, when's the food arriving?”

~

Hayun is sitting on the makeup chair, casually watching Scoups and Jeonghan whispering to each other from the mirror's reflection, when a hand lands on her shoulder and another holds out a smoothie for her.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Joshua sits on the chair next to her while Mingyu punctures the drink's lid with a straw.

Without taking her eyes off the mirror, she nods with her head to it. “Those two are up to something”

“Scoups and Jeonghan Hyung? Nah, they're always like that. Sharing secrets and stuff,” Mingyu giggles, shoving the straw inside her mouth and shifting to stand in front of the mirror. “Cute nail polish, when did you have time to get it done?”

“Oh, these are acrylics. This lady was just putting them on” Hayun falls into his trap and began analyzing the design with some occasional comments from the boys.

Peace has seemingly set inside the dressing room, yet it doesn't last long until Dino's loud “Uh?” caught the attention of the members, who turned to see what he and Vernon were doing.

Trying to shut the youngest up, Vernon makes it very obvious to the guys that he had just filled Dino in with the “frenemies” situation. Most of them try to brush it off and not bring more attention to it. Seungkwan, however, approaches them by, very loudly, asking what's up.

“What are you talking about?” He boringly fixes up his outfit. Vernon can feel the burning eyes of Jeonghan on his skull as he tries to deviate the conversation to another topic.

“Did you go see catering already? I heard they had a coffee machine”.

“Wait. Does he not know what happened?” Dino fails to read the room properly and instigates the older boy.

“What happened? Why is everyone sharing secrets all of a sudden? Is the thing you're discussing why Scoups Hyung seems ready to jump someone”.

The timing of events can't be worse, as the makeup artist taps Hayun's shoulder to let her know they were done. Within seconds, the girl gets up and turns to where the three youngest were standing.

“What's with the gossiping? Did Vernon lose his airpods again?” She brushes away from Joshua as he tried to hold her in place and waves off Mingyu when, in a panic, he suggests they should check out the pigeons outside.

“What? No! I mean, yeah! How unfortunate, isn't it?” Vernon jumps around his answers and tries looking for anyone willing to help him out.

“Just tell her about it” Approaching them from the door, Jeonghan, now without the leader's company, shrugs his shoulders, making Hayun raise an eyebrow.

“Jeonghan, at least wait until the day is over,” Joshua speaks through his teeth and the boy rolls his eyes.

“Well, she already knows something is up, and to be fair I don't know what good hiding this will bring. At least, if she feels like doing something about it, she'll have the chance right now”.

“Do something about it? Hadn't we agreed that the best is to wait until the performance is over and just never see them again?”

“What even are you talking about?” Hayun shuts them both up and Jeonghan and Joshua turned to her with annoyed expressions, “Don't even look at me like that. You're the ones mentioning me as if I'm not in the room”.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Joshua tilts his head a little and speaks softly, “Trust me for a moment here, it's best if you brush it aside. Until later at least, and then we can settle it as you wish”.

“Wha- Just spill it out for fucks sake. I'm going to combust if you don't tell me right now whatever this all means,” Hayun puffs, punching his shoulder. Just as Joshua opens his mouth to say the same thing again, Jeonghan beats him and shoves himself in front of the girl.

“Do you recall those dancers you were planning to go out with yesterday? Yeah, well, turns out they're all little shits who were trash-talking you, and just overall talking crap, yesterday”

“Jeonghan” Joshua repressed the older who does nothing but wave him off.

“Doesn't matter what they said because you're nothing of it, and-” Adverting his eyes for a second, Jeonghan stares to the side, where half of Scoups' body is waving for him through the door. “And, and, you're amazing and all of that. So now go rest your awesome self while I go teach those punks a lesson”.

Zooming past her, Jeonghan runs to the door, where the leader is already back outside. Hoshi, Jun, Woozi, and DK, scream for him before also going out of the door. A very lost, Seungkwan, simultaneously tries to get Vernon to tell him what exactly the dancer said before while shouting for the older to wait for him to also speak his mind.

“I didn't want you to know about this before the performance, but-”

“Whatever, let's make sure nobody dies today” Hayun rolls her eyes and turns around, Wonwoo running from where he was watching everything and holding her by the shoulder.

“Do you want us to go fix that up? It's okay to give them the cold shoulder or just go off if you want to” Nodding, she keeps silent and walks out, bringing the rest of the guys behind her.

The8, who also had just found out about the situation, whispers to Vernon, “Can you believe they had the audacity?”

“I know, right?” The youngest whisper-yelled at him as they made it to the hallway and assessed the situation.

“The next time you even think about opening your mouth to talk about her-” Scoups had his finger pointing at the tallest dancer -who ironically had a few centimeters on him-, while the rest of the members stood next to him nodding and calmly listening to what the leader was saying.

“Oppa, just drop it,” Hayun shouts, walking past them and holding his shoulder.

Annoyingly, Scoups rolled his eyes and turned to her, “What do you mean, drop it?” Thinking for a second, he blinked and turned even more bothered, “Who even told you about this?”

The leader looked around until he found Mingyu, offending the tall guy who made an X in front of his body.

“Doesn't matter who told me. Let's just not lose time doing this” Brushing past him, Hayun now faced the dancers “Look, I'll teach you something right now, so grab it or drop it okay? I don't give a shit that you don't like me, or whatever, but at least be professional because all this situation did was teach me that none of you care about your careers. It's pretty clear by the angry puppy beside me that you just lost any chance of growing inside our brand, so keep this as a lesson and respect the artists you're working with. Also, once we're on stage put on a smile, so my fans won't be able to sense your shit”

“It should be pretty clear by what she said but you definitely don't have a chance to work with any Pledis artist again” Hoshi came from the end of the hallway alongside their manager and choreographer. The latter nodded and added.

“For the sake of the performance, you should all go back to your dressing rooms. You all said whatever was on your mind, so try to refocus during the last few minutes you have”.

“I didn't get to say what was on my mind” While the group was dispersing, DK mumbles on the side and Jun snorts.

“You had a chance, but all you did was stare at them and scowl until Scoups Hyung took the lead”

“I don't care about who said and who didn't say what they wanted” Hayun rolled her eyes, turning to the boys as they arrived in the room. Clasping her hands together, she brings them to her face and smiles, “You all care about me”.

“The fact you still doubted about it after years hurts me” Dokyeom held his chest and frowned, the girl laughs and goes to hug him.

“Group hug?” Seungkwan says uncertainly and Hoshi nods, dragging Woozi with him, “Group hug!”

#Hayun #seventeen 14th member #seventeen au #Seventeen Additional Member #seventeen addition #seventeen female addition #seventeen female member #seventeen female oc #seventeen extra member #svt 14th member #svt oc #svt addition #kpop addition #kpop female addition #14th member of seventeen #seventeen x 14th member #seventeen x oc

[lloydskywalkers]

Heyo! Hope your doing exceptionally well, wonderful and ur staying safe! I was reading ur little oneshots for the movie! Verse and instantly fell in love! Think u have anymore for Kai and Lloyd? (But u don’t need to listen to this, obviously hehe) Have a splendid day!

ahhH thank you, I hope you’re doing well too!! :D oh man it’s been so long since i’ve written something for movie-verse, but I’ve had this little snippet in my head for a while so I guess it’s as good a time as any (and it is, of course, about kai and lloyd bc when is it noT)

it’s a little different than what i usually write, for movie-verse? but i hope it fits the bill! (takes place pre-movie, btw)

Of all his friends, Lloyd thinks Kai is most like the sun. Not just for his codename, and the enthusiasm with which he brings fire to the team, metaphorically and far too often literally, but for how bright he is. Kai reminds Lloyd of the sun at full force, strong and blazing and staunchly refusing to let anyone hide from his warmth. An endlessly combusting ball of stubbornness and passion.

Kai also reminds Lloyd of the sun in the way that he possesses about the same amount of brain cells the sun does, which is zero, because the sun has no brain — much like Kai.

“Hey, ru—de, ow, stop—”

Kai’s petulant response strangles off in cracked pain as Lloyd hushes him, simultaneously pulling the alcohol-soaked cloth from his arm with a sympathetic wince.

“Sorry, sorry,” Lloyd murmurs, wringing the edge of the cloth. “But I’ve gotta — it’ll get infected, if you don’t—”

“Nah, s’okay,” Kai says, breath hissing out through clenched teeth. He gives Lloyd a wavering smile that could almost be encouraging, were he not bleeding over Lloyd’s faded bedspread. “Just caught me off guard, I’m good now. ‘Sides, the — the stitches are gonna be worse, so—”

“It won’t be that bad,” Lloyd promises him, cleaning the rest of the deep slashes that run across Kai’s arm as quickly as he can. The lower ones aren’t so bad — he could get away without stitches, maybe. It’s the uppermost one that scares Lloyd, cutting deep enough into Kai’s skin to pose a threat. And Lloyd has no intention of leaving Kai anywhere near in danger, especially with the reason he’s hurt in the first place.

Lloyd swallows against the thick lump that suddenly forms in his throat, trying to banish the flood of emotions that have been rising since the battle against his father’s forces earlier. Surprise, shock, gratitude—? A swirling maelstrom of a deep-seated kind of aching warmth Lloyd is utterly unfamiliar with. It leaves him off-kilter, and words don’t come easily as they usually do.

Not that words ever come easily to Lloyd, but normally he isn’t quite this stuttering. Maybe. He hopes not. Maybe he’s just hyperaware right now, after everything, and he always sounds this embarrassing.

“I promise,” Lloyd continues, yanking himself from his thoughts as he busies with the needle. “I’ve got a lot of experience, and I’ll be gentle.”

Kai watches Lloyd threading the needle with a thinly-veiled fear, but he nods, the bravado Lloyd’s more familiar with making its way across his face. “Nice,” he says. “I trust you, Dr. Lloyd.”

Lloyd’s hands falter with the needle for a moment, before he resumes sterilizing it, ducking his head. Kai sounds like he means it — Kai sounds like he means everything he says, but the way he says trust hits differently, for Lloyd.

They’ve only been a team for few months, now. Not very long at all, to form any kind of trust in the son of your greatest enemy. Lloyd’s been going to school with some of the same people since kindergarten, and they’ve never looked at him with anything kinder than hatred, much less trust. And yet Kai is here, offering him his bleeding arm in Lloyd’s tiny room, trusting him to repair the damage he only took because he was protecting Lloyd.

Lloyd doesn’t understand. He doesn’t — people don’t — but his team—

They listened to him. Actually listened to him, to Lloyd. They actually listen to him in general, have since they were all thrown together in this odd little grouping, but it hasn’t quite hit home in the way it did tonight, when he’d snapped orders at them in barely-restrained panic, Kai’s blood staining his fingers as he’d staunched the knife wounds meant for him.

They hadn’t flinched back at his raised voice. Lloyd never raises his voice — he’s learned to keep it quiet, soft, unassuming. Even the slightest slip of frustration is enough to send anyone around him murmuring in suspicion, eyes narrowing and hissed whispers of just like his father filling the air.

Lloyd’s voice had been sharp and strained, barking across the rooftop, and they’d listened. No one flinched back, no eyes widened in fear — they’d just listened. They’re still listening, carrying out Lloyd’s orders without question, and it’s — it’s dizzying, if Lloyd had to put a word to it.

Cole and Zane are taking care of clean-up — something Lloyd will have to thank them for later, profusely. Neither were particularly happy about letting Kai out of their sights, but Cole and Zane are better at keeping each other steady than anyone else. It was the right call, Lloyd knows it was. Hopes it was.

But Lloyd hasn’t been having much faith in his calls, tonight. Not after Kai went down.

He swallows, focusing on the sounds reverberating from behind his closed door. Nya and Jay are talking with his mother, Nya’s louder tones easier to hear as she laughs. Lloyd knows her well enough to catch the strain in it, but he knows it’ll fool his mother. They’re distraction — Lloyd’s house was closest, and he’s got the best supplies stashed there. No one questions why he’s the one with the fully stocked medical kit, but Lloyd suspects they’ve all drawn their own conclusions.

He wishes they’d believe him, when he says it’s because he’s worried for them. He grew up with Wu as his uncle, who picks fights on a daily basis — with Morro as his cousin, who picks fights on an hourly basis. Lloyd knows the importance of having the good kind of medical supplies.

He finishes prepping the needle, squeezing Kai’s wrist briefly in warning. Lloyd’s not usually a tactile person — not that anyone would let him be — but he knows Kai soaks up touch like a starved sponge, and Lloyd’s desperate to give any kind of comfort he can before he starts with the needle.

Kai swallows, fixing his eyes firmly on the faded glow-in-the-dark stars plastered across Lloyd’s ceiling.

“Okay,” he says, his voice tight. “Bring it on.”

Lloyd swallows, steels himself, and sets the needle against his skin. Kai flinches at the first prick, eyes squeezing shut briefly, but otherwise he doesn’t move, jaw set stubbornly as Lloyd moves quickly. For his part, Lloyd keeps his eyes locked on the stitches, his hands steady. For all that Lloyd’s made up of bouncing nerves half the time, his hands rarely shake. Never when patching wounds up. He’s always been proud of how steady he can hold a needle, and tonight is no exception.

It’s the least he can do.

Kai suddenly tenses up, a broken-off noise strangling in his throat. Lloyd’s heart twists, but he stays steady, rallying himself. Conversation — Kai likes talking, right? Distraction, he can do that.

“So, um,” Lloyd stutters. On second thought, he’s awful at small talk. But — for Kai. “The way you took down that last guy was, it was really cool. Where’d you learn that?”

Kai bites his lip, exhaling shakily before he answers. “I train too, you know.”

Lloyd’s mouth quirks, despite himself. “Not like that.”

“What, a ninja can’t — can’t get creative,” Kai replies, through half-gritted teeth. Lloyd doesn’t say anything, but Kai rolls his eyes, continuing. “Fine. When I was younger, I ah…might’ve taken a few dance classes. For Nya! ‘Cause I couldn’t let her go alone, y’know, but they were — they were kinda fun, I guess, and maybe they slip into fighting, sometimes.” His cheeks darken, and Lloyd bites back a quiet laugh.

“Nothing like Cole, obviously, ‘cause he’s an actual dancer, but — that’s where I got it from.” He pins Lloyd with a glare, that’s somewhat dimmed by the scrunched expression of pain on his face. “Tell anyone and you’re dead though, okay?”

Lloyd hums his agreement, too focused on the stitches to reply immediately. After a moment, though, he speaks up again. “I did some ballet, when I was little.”

“No way,” Kai says, sounding delighted.

“Yeah, way,” Lloyd says. “I’ve heard from a very reliable source that dancing backgrounds are useful, with ninja stuff.”

“Very reliable meaning your uncle,” Kai grins.

Lloyd shrugs. “Maybe,” he half-smiles. Kai suddenly sucks in another pained breath, but to Lloyd’s relief, it’s likely the last one. He finishes off the stitches with a well-practiced hand, snapping the end of the thread and exhaling in relief.

“There. All done.”

Kai’s eyes widen. “Seriously, already?” He glances down at his arm, his other hand moving up to touch the stitches. Lloyd smacks it away, glaring at him.

“Don’t touch. You still have to watch out for infection. I’ll text you instructions for taking care of it, and everything. Just don’t do anything, ah…”

“No ninja-ing?” Kai finishes for him, crestfallen.

“Probably a good idea,” Lloyd says, apologetic. “But it’s not too bad. Shouldn’t take long, and you can be out, uh, ninja-ing again."

Kai is quiet for a moment, regarding his stitches. Then he turns to Lloyd, who is immediately staggered at the bright smile that stretches across his face.

“Cool. Thanks, Lloyd. You’re good at this.”

Lloyd can’t answer, his throat burning. He forces the welling moisture back, looking away. Kai’s only hurt for him, and that is layered with so much more meaning than Lloyd can comprehend right now.

“No problem,” Lloyd mutters, focusing instead on the voices outside his door in an attempt to find footing again. He can hear his mom laughing at something Nya’s said, open and relaxed in a way his mom rarely is. Lloyd’s heart twists into knots.

He doesn’t deserve them, any of them. Not really.

If Kai reminds Lloyd of the sun, then the rest of the team reminds him of stars. All bright and shining, bursting with warmth in their own way. Maybe not quite at the blazing heat that Kai does, but Nya is a north star if Lloyd’s ever needed one. Jay’s a blinking constellation, scattered stars that form a complex whole much larger than you’d thought. Cole’s the kind of star you see first pop up over the horizon, blending with the oranges and purples of the sunset, like a painting you’d see in soft watercolors. Zane’s the early-morning kind of star, the ones that stay stubbornly after the night’s left, dotting the pale morning with a calm steadiness.

Lloyd would be a planet, he supposes, caught in faithful orbit around the five people who have somehow, for some reason, given him a chance. It’d be generous, though. No, Lloyd is content just to be a moon — with no light of his own, reflecting only the brilliance others give him the best he can.

Kai’s finger taps the edge of his forehead, snapping Lloyd from his thoughts, and he blinks in confusion.

“Lost you there, again,” Kai asks, words mangled through a yawn. “Where’d you go?”

Lloyd shakes his head, turning his attention back to the bloodied thread leftover in his hands. His stomach turns, and he quickly sets it aside. “Just thinking.” He pauses, momentarily lost for words. He settles for jerking his head toward the window, where the smoke trailing from their hard-won battle is still visible against the dark sky, and gives Kai a wry smile. “How much do you wanna bet the cheerleading team comes up with a new song tomorrow?”

It’s been an inside joke for them, the ridiculous songs Chen and his gang keep coming up with to throw at Lloyd, and normally it gets a laugh from Kai. This time, though, Kai is silent, his eyes searching as he stares at Lloyd. Lloyd shifts under the attention, caught off-guard again. He doesn’t know what kind of look this is, that Kai’s giving him.

“They shouldn’t talk about you like that,” Kai finally says. His voice is quiet, but Lloyd can spot the brewing anger in it. Kai’s always got anger to spare.

“Sticks and stones, remember?” Lloyd shakes his head. He’s learned, after a while, that anger changes nothing. “Words will never hurt me.”

“Words hurt when people are throwing sticks and stones at you while they yell about your dad,” Kai grumbles.

“No one’s thrown rocks since second grade, actually.”

“Hm.” Kai’s tone is a mix of thinly withheld anger and mild amusement. Lloyd tilts his head, confused, and Kai gives a huff, anger tugging loose.

“Y’know, people say that if kids throw rocks at you in second grade, it means they’ve got a crush on you.”

Lloyd knows well enough it’s a joke, but he flushes red anyways, heat spreading across his cheeks. “Yeah, sure,” he stammers. Kai laughs at his reaction, though, the odd kind of anger departing, and Lloyd feels he’s found his footing again.

They’re quiet as Lloyd finishes cleaning up the medical supplies, Kai nodding sleepily on his bed while Lloyd carefully washes the needle in the bathroom sink. Maybe he can convince his mom to let Kai spend the night, he thinks. Jay and Nya , too — their apartment isn’t very big, but it’s awfully late to make them walk home, and Lloyd is fine with taking the floor, if he needs to.

Lloyd nods to himself, resolving to ask her once he’s finished hiding the evidence. His mom’s been so thrilled about him having people over at all, he can’t see her saying no. A smile pulls at his lips as he listens to the conversation outside his door again. Jay’s rambling on now, bright and excited without any of his usual reservation. He feels a pang, wondering if Jay’s the same as him — wondering if they’re all the same, playing at muted caricatures of themselves, too fearful to let whatever lies beneath shine through.

He wonders what it means, that they’re the ones with the city in their hands, that weight on their shoulders. Wonders what it means, that Lloyd feels safer with bullets strafing the air around him and his mask on, than he ever has with it off. That Green Ninja will always, always sound better than Lloyd in his ears.

“Hey, uh.”

Lloyd starts at Kai’s voice, twisting the sink off as he turns to face him. Kai looks half asleep, but the smile he gives him is bright as ever.

“Thanks, seriously. Not just for this, but for looking out for us. You’re a good friend.”

Lloyd’s heart skips a beat, his brain latching onto the word friend and holding on tightly, tucking it somewhere safe inside his chest.

“So thanks, Lloyd,” Kai yawns, barely awake at all now, but still stubbornly clinging to the threads of awareness.

Lloyd’s got his own thank you to give back, twisted and strangled behind whatever lump’s formed in his throat, but Kai’s snoring before he gets the chance to say it. So Lloyd tugs the edge of his comforter over his friend — his friend — instead, and runs the words over in his mind again and again, like a treasured line from a book.

On second thought. Maybe Lloyd isn’t so bad. He’s only ever liked his name the way his mom says it, without any of the snapping, harsh emphasis others give it. In others’ mouths, Lloyd’s name is a curse. In his mom’s, Lloyd’s name belongs to a person.

But he thinks, maybe, he likes the way it sounds when his teammates use it, too.

#answered #ninjago #tlnm #lloyd garmadon #kai smith #slight blood tw #i just. have a lot of feelings about friends #and a lot of thoughts about how the movie!ninja put each other on pedestals #not in an inherently bad way but #i think they all think so much of each other #they forget they're human #and that leads to fallout #anyways! movie bros T-T #my fic #masterofswag213

[anon911andbuddie]

Can you do one where Carla calls buck while he Eddie and hen are in Texas with the 126 because Chris had a nightmare about the tsunami and the 126 kind of sees the dynamic of buddies little family :)

Okay so this prompt got away from me a bit, if you wanted more Diaz-Buckley fam feels and less of what happens here, let me know. I’ll give it another go. I did have another way this could have gone where the 126 witnesses the actual call with Chris, let me know if you want to see it - Scarlet 📕

Calls to Take and Stories to Tell

TK, Buck and a few others had just agreed to take a break when another group of firefighters came to take over for them. The sun had long set but there was still work to be done. Buck had caught a water bottle that TK had tossed him, when his phone rang. He tucked the bottle under his chin as he awkwardly dug in his pocket to grab his phone. 

TK chuckled and was just about to offer to take the bottle back when Buck seemed to sort it out. TK amusement ended as he saw Buck’s brow furrow in concern.

“Carla, Hey,” Buck said, setting the water bottle on the ground beside him. “Everything okay?” There was a pause before Buck continued, “No, we just took a break. I got time. What’s wrong?” TK didn’t miss the way Buck looked around, a bit frantic. “Yeah, put him on.” Buck said, he looked over and caught TK’s gaze. “Hey, TK! Can you get Eddie, I need Eddie,” Buck gestured to the phone. “It’s his-” TK was just realizing that this might be a big deal based on Buck’s serious tone, when Buck seemed to quickly shift. “Hey, superman, what’s wrong?” TK went to do as he was asked. 

TK found Eddie taking a break with Marjan and Judd. “Hey, Eddie, right?”  TK hurried over. 

“Yeah, what’s up?” Eddie nodded. 

“Buck needs you,” TK said. 

“Did another dog try to run him over?” Marjan asked. TK shook his head.

“Nah, a phone call from someone named Carla,” TK answered.

“What?” Eddie fumbled to grab his phone as he stood up. “No missed calls,” he mumbled as he looked at TK. “Where is he?” Eddie asked and followed TK as he headed back to where he left Buck.

“What just happened?” Marjan asked. Judd just shrugged. 

“It’s okay, buddy, I know it’s tough, but it’s gonna be okay, we’ll be back home soon.” Buck had his phone held out in front of him, having switched over to a video call, as Eddie and TK approached. “Hey, look who’s here,” Buck smiled as he gestured Eddie over. “I think someone wants to see you,” Buck said, tipping his phone slightly and mouthed ‘nightmare’ to Eddie as he did. 

“Hey, bud,” Eddie smiled as he took the phone and made sure he was in the camera frame, before taking in the image of his sleepy son. “What’s up?” Buck stayed next to Eddie so they could both try and get the boy back to sleep. 

TK felt like he was eavesdropping on something weirdly personal so he went back to join his team. Running into Hen on the way there. 

“Hey, have you seen-” Hen started to ask. 

“Buck and Eddie are on the phone,” TK said. He’d figured out the LA team seemed to be almost as close as his crew. “Someone named Carla called. They’re behind your guys’ truck.”

“Oh, okay,” Hen nodded. “Thanks.”

“You need to go?” TK asked as she seemed to turn and walk with him.

“What?” Hen asked.

“The call, you going to join them?” TK asked as they approached Marjan and Judd. They had been joined by Paul and Mateo. 

“Nah, I talked to my own kids earlier. No need to bother theirs.” Hen shook her head.

“Whoa wait,” Marjan said, she looked at Hen in confusion. “I thought Eddie was a single dad.”

“I mean technically he is, Carla is his son’s caregiver.”

“Why’d she call Buckley if she’s Eddie’s kid’s caregiver?” Marjan asked.

Hen thought about how best to answer that. “Buck and Christopher are close. He’s his Buck.” She shrugged. 

“What does that even mean?” Judd asked.

Hen chuckled and glanced at the time. “Honestly, that is a story I’m not even sure we could fully cover before sun up.” 

“Short version?” Mateo asked. 

“Short version is that Buck has easily been Christopher’s favorite person. Buck always goes the extra mile for him. I mean Buck’s great with all our kids, but even before Christopher lost his mom, Buck was always helping out.” 

“But they didn’t call Eddie first?” Marjan asked.

Hen hesitated, because how do you explain the Diaz and Buckley dynamics without discussing all the disasters those three had been through. 

“Shared trauma,” Hen said. 

“He has shared trauma with Diaz’s kid?” Judd asked. 

“Yeah, they survived something horrible while Buck watched him during some time off, left them with some bad nightmares” Hen said, she wasn’t sure how much Eddie actually would want her telling people. Buck probably wouldn’t mind, he overshares often when it comes to his time with the Diaz family. 

Marjan had pulled out her phone and was scrolling through Eddie’s instagram. It was shockingly bare and hinted nothing at some shared trauma. She clicked on a picture of Eddie and Buck in full gear and clicked on Buck’s tag. “Oh wow,” she held up a picture of them all at Eddie's badge ceremony. “What is this?” She swiped it to a video of Christopher clearly showing Buck how to use his crutches better.

Hen looked over and smiled. “That was when Eddie got his badge.”

“I can see that,” Marjan stated. “I mean the leg.”

“Oh, well that is another long story, but Buck damn near lost his leg.”

“So they bonded over crutches?” Mateo asked.

“Yes, and no,” Hen said. “Christopher was all too happy to give Buck pointers, but they survived something worse once Buck was back on his feet.”

“Worse than nearly losing his leg?” Paul asked.

“Yeah, Buck had a pretty terrible year. Crushed leg, pulmonary embolism,” Hen sighed, she’d probably already told them too much, might as well go all in. “And a tsunami.”

“A tsunami?” Mateo asked.

“Well now I’m really glad I saw that car before it hit him,” TK said.

“Yeah, thanks for that. For some reason that boy cannot stay out of danger,” Hen stated.

“We know someone like that,” Judd said, nudging TK’s shoulder.

“Hold up,” Marjan said, still trying to put together the pieces of the story. “So which trauma was Christopher’s?”

“The tsunami,” Buck’s voice answered. 

They all spun around to see Eddie and Buck behind them. Buck’s posture had gone ridged.

“Telling stories, Hen?” Eddie asked, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Sorry guys,” Hen frowned, “I guess I got carried away.”

TK looked between the three LA firefighters. He looked at the way an angry looking Eddie had put himself between Buck and the group. He took a good look and Buck and TK stomach twisted. Buck had sad eyes, stiff shoulders, and a white knuckle grip crushing his water bottle. He looked like a guy that could clearly use an out.

“Hey Buck, we should finish that restock we were working on,” TK said standing up and walking towards Buck. “Ready?” Buck looked over at Eddie. TK didn’t miss the small nod from the older firefighter.

“Uh...yeah, sure.” Buck said, following TK towards the 118 truck. 

“We should check our own truck,” Judd said. He left with Mateo and Paul. 

“Eddie,” Hen started but Eddie shook his head. 

“Can you go see if we are needed for the rest of the night or if we can all get some sleep?” Eddie asked her.

“Yeah, I can do that,” Hen said as she left. 

Eddie sighed, realizing Marjan hadn’t gone off with the rest of her crew. 

“If you wanted to know more about our lives you could have just asked us,” Eddie told her.

“How’s the kid?” Marjan asked.

“He’s back to sleep,” Eddie answered. 

“So Buckley not only helped you build your son a skateboard, but also talks the kid down from nightmares from a tsunami they both survived. You two really are best pals.” 

Eddie ran a hand through his hair but nodded.

“Huh,” Marjan said. “I guess he is harmless.”

“Mostly,” Eddie shook his head and grinned.

“Hey, sorry about that,” TK said when he and Buck had finally reached the 118 truck. “We didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

Buck sighed, his shoulders sinking. “It’s fine. Eddie will calm down soon.”

“That’s good,” TK eyed his new friend, “For what it’s worth, whatever you guys went through, we’re just glad you’re here.”

“Glad to help,” Buck nodded. “We’re firefighters, we have to have each other’s back.”

#Anonymous #by scarlet #prompt fill #spoilers for crossover #spoilers #911 spoilers #911 lone star spoilers

[julieloveupstead]

Big Heart - Upstead (8x06)

Description: Jay to help Latrell learn the truth about his son's death and catch a dangerous criminal must go undercover. Hailey has a bad feeling about this action, but tries to keep her cool. Until something goes wrong and memories of the past come flooding back. How will she deal with it?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Okay I think everything is ok. - Said Hailey for the 10th time checking to make sure the cameras and wiretaps she was hooking up to Jay were where they should be and working well.

They were getting ready to go undercover. Jay was going to be Latrell's buddy to buy the goods from K-Mac that would get them to Dante, Kim and Adam were going to watch the back, and Kevin and Hailey were going to watch the rest. A normal undercover job that their department was full of, nothing they hadn't done before, but still Hailey felt a certain fear that she couldn't figure out why. She tried not to show it to Jay, she didn't want him to think she was overreacting, and besides, they had to be professionals at their jobs, they couldn't let anyone suspect anything. The fact that the department is like a family to them and they feel bad hiding their happiness from them, but they know it's for the best for them and for the rest, and also the fact that they keep the fact that they are together a secret makes it even more special, because it's only theirs and that's the best. And above all it's all fresh to see if they can combine the two most important things to each other their relationship and their work. For the moment, everything was working out for the best, so what Hailey was feeling right now was a surprise to her. She had never felt anything like this. It was known that before they became a couple she was worried about Jay but it was easier for her to hide it, whereas now it was more difficult. She just hoped Jay wouldn't notice, or even if he did, that he wouldn't pursue the subject. He shouldn't be distracted from an action as seemingly simple as this.

- What are you thinking? - but of course Jay is able to see right through her.

- Nothing - she decided to pretend she didn't know anything.

- Hailey, I can hear your thoughts. - Jay touched Hailey's chin and lifted her to look at him. She'd really done her best to keep her face and eyes clear of suspicion, but after seeing me, Jay knew she couldn't hide her emotions that well and that he'd seen right through her. - What's up, baby? - The way that nickname comes out of his mouth all the time surprises Hailey, and her heart beats faster and butterflies appear in her stomach, but now is not the time and place for amours.

- I'm thinking about Jay's case, and besides - though with great reluctance but she moved away from Jay and got busy cleaning up the rest of the equipment. - we're at work. - She said firmly, not even looking at him, cutting off any further conversation. She knew Jay wasn't going to give up that easily, but luckily for her, their friends and the Sergeant came into the garage.

- All right, look, I've got a meeting with Miller, so I want Jay and Hailey to be in charge," Voight said, and we all nodded. - Keep me updated - he looked at Hailey and Jay and after getting the right answer from his subordinates he left, Kim and Adam also left to get their car ready.

- I'm just going to check Latrell's equipment and then we can go - I turned to Kevin, who had just brought Wade.

- All right, I'm going over to Van's," he said, leaving the three of us alone.

- Latrell, do you know what to do? - Jay asked, trying to make sure Wade hadn't forgotten anything.

- Yes - he nodded - You've been coming to my plant for a few years now, we've been friends and I suggested you meet K-Mac because you wanted to buy the good stuff. - recited the older man.

- Exactly. And don't forget to stick to the plan, because if you don't there will be no deal" - said Hailey looking hard at the man. - Everything is ready - Hailey checked Latrell's equipment for the last time and when she approached Jay she needed all her strength to keep her neutrality and not to let his eyes on her, which unfortunately was difficult because she felt his intense gaze drilling a hole in her. - Good luck, gentlemen," she said at the end, taking one last look at her boyfriend, hoping to tell him to be careful with his eyes, and then she left. As she got into the van and Kevin took off she couldn't shake the feeling that something might go wrong. Even though she trusted Jay's plan and knew he could handle everything, but what bothered her more was Latrell, she couldn't explain it but something about the man made her distrust him, perhaps it was the fact that he couldn't get over his son's death and that he was investigating the case on his own. He was desperate and that is dangerous. She was afraid that the older man might not be able to handle the pressure, which might jeopardize the whole plot and, most of all, Jay's life.

- Are you okay? - I was pulled out of my thoughts by my friend's voice.

- Yes, I'm just tired - I quickly made up some excuse because I didn't want him to pursue the subject and luckily Kevin didn't continue and just nodded his head without asking anything more and the fact that it was almost night only helped.

- 'Okay, we're there,' Kevin spoke up as we parked some distance away from where Jay and Wade were meeting K-Mac. It looked like everything was ready and all we could do was wait. I kept a close eye on Latrell's demeanor and could see that he was anxious, but Jay looked calm so that reassured me a bit. I knew he could handle it. After a while we saw some kind of car appear.

- This is K-Mac - Jay confirmed the identity of the driver.

- We got eyes - Hailey accepted. She was sitting in the van with Kevin, who kept looking at her strangely, as if he suspected that her earlier excuse was not true. But she ignored that and focused on what was going on outside.

- You guys seeing this silver Lexus? - Kim let them know she saw a car go by.

- Yeah we see it. Just sid tight. - Jay, you got a silver Lexus on your six" she informed her partner who slowly looked in the direction of the car without raising suspicion.

Hailey remembered that Latrell had mentioned just such a car during their first conversation. Could it be that the guy was right about his son's death? Once again there was a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach that said nothing good could come out of this and this time she didn't want to drown it out and watched even more intently what was happening.

K-Mac stepped out of the black suv that appeared at the agreed place.

- What's up? - Latrell was the first to speak.

- What's up Latrell - answered K-Mac. They both acted like good old friends. Maybe it won't be so bad after all. - This here your boy? - K-Mac notices Jay right away as he walks closer.

- Yeah, his name is Jay. He's cool," he calmly introduced Halstead's character.

- What's up man - said Jay, who by the way fantastically played the role of an interested drug buyer. Hailey had to admit that although Jay was a very handsome and sexy man, somehow he seemed sexier to her now and Hailey what's wrong with you - she scolded herself in her mind. After all, she can't think about it in a place like this.

Everything was going smoothly and Hailey could breathe a sigh of relief until Dante showed up unexpectedly. It was hard to convince him to take the bait, but he finally did. I mean, that's what everyone thought. Everything broke down when Latrell spotted the silver Lexus. Jay stood calmly ready for any eventuality and if anything in the situation made him nervous or anxious he didn't show it, while Hailey couldn't seem to calm down. She had a strange feeling that this was all going to end badly, but Jay's steely attitude reassured her a little. She knows Jay is in control and that was enough for her.

Unfortunately, Wade couldn't let go, making things very tense. Hailey's heart stopped for a second when, through the camera Jay had attached to him, she saw K-Mac pull out a gun, and that meant things were getting more dangerous. Hailey tried to keep her cool though it wasn't easy. Hailey could feel the gaze of Kevin sitting next to her, but she tried to ignore it because she didn't need the curious questions.

- Yeah. You know what? You're right. I misspoke. So I think we're gonna get out of here. Come on,Latrell-- he tried again to end this situation peacefully. Hailey has never been more grateful for his experience in the military as she is now. His calmness in this situation is remarkable.

- Nah, we came here to do a deal - Latrell didn't give up, unfortunately.

- Nah, we're good, man. This is a misunderstanding. So let's go. - Jay wasn't giving up.

- I see you again you a dead man - as Dante walked away and threatened Latrell, leaving Wade and Jay alone and the rest of them pissed off because maybe their only chance to get to Dante just flew by.

As Dante walked away with his friends Hailey's heart dropped and she could afford to let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Kevin made no secret of the fact that he had noticed her strange behavior and had many questions for her, but he knew now was not the time.

- What the hell happened out there!" were the first things out of Hailey's mouth when they returned to the comm. Jay turned towards her knowing that the question was directed at him. The team sensing the tense atmosphere fled upstairs leaving the two detectives alone. If either of them suspected something no one showed it.

- What are you talking about Hailey? - Jay was quiet and that pissed her off even more.

- About what! - Hailey took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, but the images popping up in her head weren't helping matters. - What were you even thinking? Latrell was not ready for this meeting. - She looked angry and resentful at her boyfriend, who was completely surprised just standing there. Truth be told she surprised herself, she didn't know she had such deep rooted memories from over a year ago clinging to her.

- Hey Hailey, what's up? - He walked over to her and gently placed his hands on Hailey's shoulders and watched her carefully. He was starting to worry about her, he completely didn't know what was going on.

- Nothing - she wanted to push him away, because now she realized that she was acting like a crazy person. After all, nothing bad happened, right?

- Hailey, darling - he said tenderly without letting her move away. - It's me, after all, and I know something's bothering you. Tell me if I can help you - his reassuring voice brought her confused thoughts back on track as always.

- I don't even know what's going on with me - she said after a while looking into Jay's eyes, which were filled with peace and love. - The last time you were undercover - she spoke quietly unsure of her voice and tears came to her eyes. And maybe she was acting unprofessional and like a frisky girl at that moment, but she didn't give a damn. She knew that nothing so dangerous had happened today that she should react like that, but those damn memories from two years ago came back and instilled fear in her. After all, she can't lose him, not after they finally started being together.

- Hey, hey after look at me my heart of gold - Jay's balls must have finally collided and he realized what was the reason behind his girlfriend's behavior. Seeing the tears running down her cheeks he couldn't take it anymore and pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. Now he understood everything. - I'm sorry," he kissed her head.

- For what? - she said, putting her ear to his chest so that she could hear his heartbeat.

- For the fact that you suffered so much because of me then and that today's action brought back bad memories. - He said into her hair.

- You have nothing to apologize for, Jay - she pulled away and looked into his green eyes, which were now full of guilt. - In truth, it's my fault. I shouldn't have reacted like that tonight, after all, nothing happened. - She knew that Jay was trying to hide the fact that he was still to blame for everything that had happened, and she knew what she had to do to make Jay finally understand that she didn't blame him for anything, and if she did blame him for anything, she had long since forgiven him. She placed her right hand on his chest where his heart was beating - Jay, you have a very good heart and I know you want to help Latrell and that's what I like most about you - she smiled at him - Except for your looks and everything else of course - she quickly added feeling herself blushing. Sometimes she felt like a teenager in love with him, which caused him to laugh charmingly, which she did too, but in a moment she got serious because she wanted to add something else. - For your big heart and willingness to help others makes you who you are, and you're Jay Halstead, a hero, my hero, and that sometimes you get carried away, well, I count it as a cost - she joked at the end to unload on the heel.

- Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now? - he asked with a smile on his face that made her legs go limp and her stomach twitch with butterflies.

- No - I nodded causing another volley of laughter. Jay bent down to kiss her, but Hailey pulled away, after all, they are still in the works. - We'll report back to Voight and go to my place, what do you say? - She suggested innocently flirting. Jay just nodded, because he couldn't say a single word, because this woman was amazing and he couldn't wonder how he deserved her. He'd been such a lucky guy and had promised himself when this whole thing with Angela had happened that he would always come home for her, for his Hailey, no matter what, and he intended to keep that promise.

#Upstead #upstead fic #upstead fanfiction #jay halstead #hailey upton #Undercover Jay #Chicago P.D. #Chicago P.D. 8x06

[cosmiclatte28]

Dream a Dream (Renjun x you)

a/n: Hello! It’s been a while, but happy new year! Sorry for not updating any stories, as I mentioned in previous post I have several stories stuck because of home works and a busy week. 

So, here marks my first oneshot of Renjun and first oneshot after the Christmas project! Without further delay, here we go!

Warning : angst but of course it ends beautifully   you can also see I am simping Renjun now :D 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 

For the second time, you sigh and look into your brother’s eyes trying to find help. The dining room suddenly feels so suffocating and you try to cower yourself to feel smaller in this room. Across you is your brother, Jeno, and on his right is your father beside you sit your mother.

“I have told you, you are not going to Japan, not to study there.” Your mother continues her rambling. It is dinner, but she doesn’t seem to care. The atmosphere is ruined, for you, to enjoy the heartful dinner.

You want to backlash at her words, saying that no matter what she says, you will find a way to get that scholarship offer and fly to the Rising Sun country to pursue a degree. However, you know better to be quiet now if you still want to try and coax her tomorrow.

Earlier you were saying that your application to your dream university in Japan is accepted, Jeno was delighted when he heard this but your happiness come to an end right the second your mother went into your room and snatch the acceptance letter. Her eyes widened and the next thing you know, she stormed out of the room with a hard look on her face.

When your father arrives home, everyone is seated in their chairs and mother decided to talk about the acceptance letter and how you are not allowed to go.

“I’ve told you (y/n), you are my only daughter and I do not want to lose my only daughter.” She at first calmly says this. Then she continues “Didn’t I tell you already that you’re beautiful, pretty, charming, and those traits are enough to ensure you a rich husband that will fulfil your life perfectly.”

Your father doesn’t seem to object nor care, well you believe he is already tired listening the same thing going on for the last three years. Since your freshman year in high school, you’ve been telling your family of your dream to study in Japan, but since day one, your mother objected. Her reason was not because you’re dumb or your family cannot fund the tuition, it’s merely because she believes a daughter shouldn’t live a hard life. Studying and working hard are the responsibilities of the men she said, and women like you just have to find the rich husband, dress nice beside them and be their good companion.

“Mom, I know, but the world has changed. I want to pursue my dream like Jeno hyung.” You politely speak up.

Her grip on the spoon stiffens and she looks into you sternly, “Jeno should earn his degree so he can work successfully and provide good wealth for his family. You darling, I am offering you an easier path and I know just the perfect place to find you the dearest, rich husbands. Now enough of this talk, finish dinner and help me clean up the dishes.”

Jeno kicks your leg under the table to at least send you a signal that he is going to stand on your side. His face shows he is sorry for you, but he knows now is not the right time yet to speak up.

Dinner ended and you help your mom to wash the dishes. Well you do have maids, but they do not stay the night at home. The maids are only here from morning to noon, dinner must be taken care by your mom and you.

“(Y/n), for the sake of god. Stop acting foolish. I’ve seen you sneaking around to extra science classes at school, instead of going to the socialite gathering I signed you up for.” She said in disappointment.  

You sigh, well in your private school for elites there is a silly community where the rich gathers and make bonds, attend weekend parties or social events, and if you’re lucky win one of their hearts and got asked a hand for marriage.

“It’s just a science club, they’re fun and I only go there once a week.” You lie, you go there every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and just pop into the community once in a month.

Your mother chuckles, “You think I am stupid? I know you do not attend the socialite gathering, you always go home to finish a lab report. I mean you being in your room, without any loud voice of the TV nor any sound of you calling anyone means you either read or do something. You don’t read because your books are in the library.”

You curse in your heart, she really is as smart as Sherlock, why can’t she allow you to use your similarly brilliant brain to study rather than prepare to be a good wife.

“I am texting the school’s principal to ban you from that science club, you must attend the community’s events. Also, stop seeing that man from your science club, Huang? Huang Renjun is it? He isn’t as noble as the others, instead I suggest you learn more about that son of NA CORPS, Jaemin.” she wipes her wet hands on the towel and leaves you speechless.

You stand in front of the sink, perplexed that your mother knows everything about your secret. More surprisingly she knows Renjun, now who is spilling the secret here?

You go up to your room and sit on your bed. Your eyes drift to the duffel bag you’ve prepared this week. Your phone rings and you pick it up with a big grin.

“Renjun-a!” you greet him as you fling yourself to the big soft mattress in your lavender room.

There is a soft giggle from the other end, “Hey there princess,” he greets. You blush at the nickname, Renjun has been your best friend since the first day of school. You share a table with him and he shares the same timetable as yours. He is a fun guy with angelic features, blonde hair, and beautiful voice. Both of you love nature and has been in the science club and scout team for three years. This Friday there is a scout camp going on until Sunday and Renjun had helped you sign up for it, since your mother would maybe die if she knows her daughter is not only a science club member but also a scout girl.

“So, are you packed up for Friday?” he asks just in case you need help from him to get supplies.

You shake your head, “No need. Mom actually thought I am going to stay over at Victoria’s house. Well she promised she won’t spill any tea and lie for me as I promise her Jeno’s number.”

Renjun giggles, he knows you will find a way and he has no doubt that 97% of them always work.

“Great then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night luv, take care!” Renjun sends a flying kiss through the phone and you blush at this. He is not your boyfriend, but look at how comfortable he is to flirt around with you.

“Bye bye Injunie,” you squeak and close your phone right in time when the door opens and a wild Jeno appears.

“You’re staying in Victoria’s house?” he asks, apparently your mother told him not to pick you up tomorrow because you’re staying over.

You pull him into your side and glance on the door. “Shh, I lied. Keep it a secret, I’ll be in the mountain tomorrow. So, if there is no signal or bad reception.. please cover up for me.”

Jeno shakes his head, “Cover up? I need to lie again?”

You plead him with your puppy eyes he always lose to, “I’ll accompany you to the cat café next month for the whole week.”

He smiles “Nice, don’t worry I’ll pretend I know what you’re doing.”

You grin “Oh please work on the lie with Victoria, so if mom cross checks you two won’t be caught lying. I have put her name under your contact list.”

Jeno looks surprised, but just shakes his head. “Come here,” He pulls you into his arms and hugs you.

You breathe in and relax your shoulder, “I am sorry for what mom always do to you. I’ll try to talk with her when you’re away. Just take good care of yourself and have fun okay!” he ruffles your hair and kisses your forehead.

“Thank you hyung,” you whisper and detach yourself from him.

The next day, you’re very excited to finally leave behind your problems with mom and just enjoy your freedom in the camping grounds. It’s just near the mountain and the track is not hard. You and Renjun are a part of the officer team, considering the fact that both of you are senior here.

“Need help pitching that tent?” Renjun pops up behind you and you shake your head, “Nah, I’m good, almost done. Why don’t you help the juniors?” you point your chin at a group of struggling kids, well it is not surprising some of them are never raised this way but they have to choose one activity outside subject and the scout activity is always the one with least student. So, those who are late in registering will end up here.

You finish setting up your tent, help the others too and go with the activities. There’s nothing much to do, you just have to prepare dinner with Renjun while the other instructors will lead the troop to explore the areas and learn basic nature things.

You admit Renjun cooks better than you, although his cooking skills are just to the point where it is edible, yours are worse.

“How is this?” Renjun brings a spoonful of the red kimchi stew he is making, and you take a taste test.

Your eyes lighten up, “Hm this is way better than what you always make for me.” He sends you a death glare, but you’re used to it. “Hey at least I am saying something good.” You bump his shoulder and his smile relights.

“Look at the cute couple here, what are you two making this time?” A familiar mischievous voice makes the two of you turn your heads to sigh at the man coming to the cooking area.

“Haechan,” you sigh, “We’re not a couple and what are you doing here? What’s your duty?” you ask as you continue helping Renjun cuts up tofu and onions. Haechan is the most annoying yet dearest friend of yours.

“I am the guarding team, my job is basically in the night with Mark. Don’t worry, I won’t bother you two if you’re going to spend a time alone in the woods.” He winks and you throw him a spoon, that missed but he’s happily running away. Renjun stays quiet somehow after Haechan’s appearance but you don’t really take matter of it. He’s always quiet when he’s focused.

Dinner went amazingly well, all of the tired students enjoy Renjun’s kimchi stew and you’re glad you don’t have to wash the dishes, the students played a game and losing team has to clean up.

The night activity too was like the usual one, where we sit around the bon fire and tell stories. It is dark and now you’re alone with Renjun left by your side. He grabs a guitar someone brought and after taking glance around, Renjun picks the strings and start playing a piece of melody. You lean into his shoulder, something you’ve always done to him and watch as the starry night move above you.

“That is beautiful but why are you playing such a sad song?” you ask Renjun after the pretty angel plucks his last string. You cannot lie listening to a sad song in the night alone with Renjun hurts so much. You suddenly remember the small quarrel with your mom and you feel like you have to tell him this.

“Injun-a, do you know that there’s a lot of thing I want to share with you but sometimes I can’t find the right time to say it.” You avert your gaze away from his soft eyes.

“First and foremost, I am sorry that…” your voice trails off but Renjun stays there to listen, “I am sorry I cannot fulfil our promise to leave for Japan together.” You sigh.

It’s a small promise you made with Renjun on your first month of friendship and since then both of you have been working hard to get good grades and prepare the requirements for entering the university.

Renjun did not look surprised, but he is the best man in covering his feelings. Unlike Renjun who can read you like an open book, you cannot read him at all. He just plays with his fingers and after a while looks into your eyes.

“(y/n), I know it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself, besides we can still figure out a way to fulfil this dream of ours.” He calmly threads your hair.

You shake your head, “It won’t happen Renjun, mom looks final with her decision. I am so sorry you have to leave by yourself.”

The young man chuckles dryly, “If you’re not going, then I won’t too.”

You snap at him, “What do you mean? It is your dream too!”

He nods, “It is my dream, and yours too. Our promise is to achieve our dream together right? So if fate decides to leave one of us behind, screw it I’ll stay.”

You can no longer hold back the tears in your eyes, who are you to deserve him? He really is an angel in disguise, always putting your importance first before his.

“Don’t cry, I am not going anywhere if you’re not there.” Was his last promise before he engulfs you into his warm shoulder and hugs you as the last bits of fire flickers in the dark and went out.

It is dark now, with only the moon shining over both of your face. Your glazy eyes met his and without second thoughts, you bring your lips to seal his. When there is no sign of objections you hold it there, letting Renjun takes over instead. One of his arm makes his way to the nape of your neck, gently pressing your head closer to him so he can devour you. So this unexplainable emotions in your hearts can be set free.

It’s not passionate, it’s rushed, full of hurt emotion, and sadness. You feel pain as you try to remember just how soft his lips are, after this you may never see him again. Renjun finally lets go and under the moonlight you can see him wiping away a tear. Your heart cracks, “Injun-ie,” you bring your thumb to wipe his cheek, but he is faster to hold your wrist in the air.

Your face shows surprise, is he rejecting you? He didn’t wipe his tear. Instead, he asks you a question you never expect him to ask.

“Do you ever love me as someone more than a friend?” his sincere question laced with dreadful pain makes you close your eyes.

“I love you to the point that it hurts Renjun,” you reply in a heartbeat.

He  closes his eyes and forces a sad smile, “Can you just once, tell me you love me?”

You want to ask him what he means by once? You’ll tell him over and over! But since you’re an open book to him, he answers you first before you can even gasp

“I know you’re forbidden to love me, I don’t want you to say that to me. It’s a sacred word prin- I mean (y/n). You should only say that to the person you truly love.” He looks down on his feet. Your heart burns when he refuses to even call you by his nickname.

He’s not dumb, he knows how this society of the rich works. It is always them choosing their daughter and son’s partner. He knows your mother doesn’t like him, merely because she never invites him to any of the tea party or dinner. The school knows that your family had made a promise to Jaemin’s family that if their children are of different gender, they will tie the bond. It’s just wonderful how the whole school, including Renjun, knows but not you.

Yes, you and Jaemin both know nothing. Both parents just try to make it look “natural” by sending their children to the same school, put them in the same group of community, and make them see each other as frequent as possible.

You stop crying and look into his eyes, “Renjun, you say I just have to say that word to the man I really love right?”

He nods, he knows he is dumb for saying that. He should’ve just asked you out to be his before you and Jaemin become a thing, but that will just hurt you and him. And having to hurt more is not something Renjun needs right at this moment.

“I love you Renjun,” you whisper sincerely. This may be the only chance you get to say it out loud to him. And the brilliant boy seizes his moment too, “I love you too, princess.”

You and Renjun stay together for a couple of minutes in silence. Because sometimes silence speaks louder, and emotions are conveyed better. You did not know where tomorrow will bring you, but at least you’re not regretting your decision tonight that being telling your true feelings to the person you love.

end.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ thank you for the supports 

#renjun x you #renjun x reader #renjun x y/n #renjun imagines #huang renjun #huang renjun x reader #huang renjun imagines #renjun imagine #renjun oneshot #renjun fanfic #renjun angst #renjun fluff #jaemin x reader #jeno x reader #nct dream imagines #nct dream #nct dream masterlist #nct dream scenarios #renjun scenarios #renjun

[erin-bo-berin]

Home Run

MASTERLIST

Happy Saturday! I’m back with a THIRD new fic in a row. I just couldn’t wait to post this one either. Requested by @andiebeaword​, this fic was obviously inspired by the baseball scenes from 8x06. This was just so much fun to write and I liked being able to switch it up some and have it be like a huge BAU annual baseball game with past and current agents. It was interesting to be able to write about all these characters together, some of them never even being around at the same time on the show. Also, I had to use this gif cause Spencer’s huge smile in this scene will never fail to make me happy. Sit back, relax and enjoy a nice BAU ballgame fluff piece. Happy reading!

Spencer Reid/Reader

Rating: G (fluff)

Word Count: 2,634

It was the arrival of the annual baseball game that started it all.

Every year, the BAU held what was the most well known event outside the office; the baseball game was held on the first weekend in June, infamous for the most competitive game between all different members of the BAU, past and present.

Past members of the team came back every year to play. It was a nice, fun way to see everyone again.

This year was going to be a little...different.

“Guys, come on! You know why I never take part in this!” Spencer Reid whined, “I had to be exempt from any physical test just to get in the FBI!”

You chuckled at your friend and coworker’s expense. Standing next to you was Derek Morgan, another of your coworkers. Beside the two of you was a baseball cannon, loaded with balls for Spencer’s practice.

“Reid, you know Kevin Lynch can’t make the game this year due to a family commitment. We’re short one player,” Derek hollered back.

“I don’t even know how to play baseball!”

“Which is precisely why we’re here,” you retorted, “All you do is swing, hit the ball and run. It’s easy!”

“Easy for you,” he grumbled, lifting his bat again, “Okay, let’s try it again.”

“Don’t think, just feel it,” Morgan called.

“Feel it, feel it,” Spencer nodded.

The ball went shooting from the apparatus and you saw Spencer trying to follow it with his eyes. You crossed your fingers, hoping he’d hit it.

He swung.

And he missed. Again.

“Reid, that’s not feeling it!” 

“I’m feeling like an idiot!” Spencer shouted back, exasperated.

“Come on pretty thang, go show your pretty boy how it’s done,” Morgan nodded to the home plate.

You cut him a warning glance, your cheeks reddening. You’d had a tiny crush on Spencer since the first day you met him. 

Derek’s nickname for Spencer was pretty boy. When you’d joined the team, you became pretty thang. It was often his joke that Spencer was your pretty boy, which embarrassed you to no end. He definitely rooted for you two as a couple.

Despite all the relentless teasing, Spencer remained mercifully oblivious. You’d rather not deal with that embarrassment of your crush being exposed. Although if it was up to Derek Morgan, he’d shouted it from the rooftops for you ages ago.

“Kid, come here. Watch how she bats, okay?”

Derek put his arm around Spencer’s shoulders as you took your place behind the home plate, bat raised and ready. Morgan loaded another ball and it flew towards you.

A crack of the bat sounded as you hit it high in the air, watching it soar to the further end of the field.

“All you gotta do is swing your hips and hit it!” you called.

“If I had hips like that, I would,” Spencer retorted.

You knew Spencer didn’t mean anything by the remark, but you still felt a tad embarrassed at his focus on your body.

“Grab a mitt big boy, we’re practicing your catching,” Morgan called, running to grab one for you. 

“Can’t wait,” Spencer mumbled sarcastically.

You chuckled, taking the mitt from Morgan and handing him the baseball bat.

“Don’t think I didn’t hear that remark of his about those sexy curves,” he teased you as he took your place batting.

“What’s that? You’re gonna take it easy on us?” you chuckled, purposely ignoring his remark.

Derek was a beast at batting and if he was going to bring his A game, Spencer was surely going to be in for it during his first outfield lesson.

“Oh never,” Morgan laughed.

“Guys you know all my unpleasant childhood sports memories happened like this,” Spencer protested.

“Okay, okay,” Morgan relented, “I’ll take it easy on you.”

“Thank you,” he huffed.

“Spence, since Kevin was right field, you’re going to be in the right field,” you said.

“Which is where exactly?” he asked, wincing.

You chuckled.

“Well, you know which way is right, correct?”

He nodded, pointing to the right.

“Then that’s where you’re heading,” you grinned, pushing him gently in that direction.

“Isn’t the right fielder where a team can hide their worst player without destroying their defense?” Spencer called, walking backwards to his position.

“You know that yet you can’t play baseball?” you asked, mystified.

“I know information about a lot of things I don’t do,” he replied.

“Good point,” you mumbled.

“Watch out pretty boy,” Morgan called, “Y/N’s a beast at playing center field.”

“As long as I have to play as little as possible, I’m fine!”

The ball shooter let loose another ball and Morgan hit it high in the air. Your eyes never left the ball as you sprinted to catch it, the ball falling perfectly in your glove. If it had been a real game, Morgan would’ve been out.

He whistled across the field.

“Now that’s impressive.”

You peered over at Spencer, who was looking at you, mouth agape.

“What?” you flushed.

“I just didn’t expect you to be able to do that.”

“I played a lot of baseball when I was younger,” you explained.

“How do you expect me to play like that?” Spencer asked, still stunned.

“We’re not expecting you to be a professional, Reid,” Morgan said, approaching him, “Just do your best and have fun. It’s a game for fun anyway.”

“Fun for you guys,” he grumbled.

“Okay, I’m gonna try to go easier on you, to give a little practice on fetching the ball,” Derek said, heading back to home plate.

“I’m not a Golden Retriever!” Spencer said.

You chuckled.

Derek purposely held back, sending the ball in the middle of your area and Spencer’s. He ran for it at the same time you did as you noticed it was close to falling towards the field’s fence.

You weren’t paying attention to your surroundings, only the ball. That was how you ended up running right into Spencer’s chest, falling backwards into the ground. You lost track of the ball, but noticed it fall to the ground a few feet away from you.

“Oh my god, are you okay?!”

He rushed to help you up, but you waved him away, apologizing.

“So sorry about that,” you chuckled, “I should’ve been paying more attention to where I was going.”

Like a gentleman, he offered a hand to help you up, which you ended up taking, trying to ignore the tingling on your skin that holding his hand produced.

“No, I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I’m not that good at this sort of thing. In fact, I suck.”

“Hey, no need to be so hard on yourself,” you smiled, “You’re doing just fine.”

“Unless you two are over there discussing how amazing I am, I’d love for you two to get back to your positions!” Morgan shouted.

“Nah, we were just discussing how we think you’d look in a toupee,” Spencer remarked, making you snort.

Your phone beeped and you reached in the back pocket of your shorts and pulled it out, seeing a text message from team member and technical analyst Penelope Garcia.

“Guys, we’ve got a case,” you announced to the two men.

“Hallelujah.”

Spencer practically sprinted off the baseball field making you and Derek laugh heartily.

“Just you wait, pretty boy!” Derek called out to him, “I’m sure you’ll surprise everyone this weekend!”

•

Saturday was a beautiful day. 

The skies were such a clear blue, it almost looked artificial. The sun shone brightly without a cloud in the sky and the temperature was pleasant, without being too hot. Basically, it was the perfect day for a baseball game. 

The game day also fell on a great day. 

The team had just wrapped up the case that you and them had been called in on earlier in the week. It would be nice to have a relaxing Saturday afternoon with some baseball, good friends and plain ‘ol fun.

“Spencer!”

You waved him over, when you saw him.

“Hey,” he grinned, catching the mitt you threw him.

“We’re first in the field,” you explained, “You ready to play some ball?”

“Stoked,” he deadpanned.

“Oh come on, it won’t be that bad,” you chuckled, reaching up to place his baseball hat on his head.

“You’ll do great,” you assured him, patting his chest as you headed off towards your spot in center field.

Your team was made up of your fellow BAU team members including: Aaron Hotchner, David Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, Luke Alvez, Penelope, Derek, Spencer and of course, yourself.

On the opposing team were friends and fellow coworkers: Matt Simmons, Tara Lewis, Alex Blake, Ashley Seaver, Stephen Walker, Kate Callahan, Jordan Todd, Mateo Cruz and Grant Anderson. 

Last year, they had won. This year, you and your team were ready to take back the reigning title.

The crowd was filled with friends and family, here to support their loved ones.

There was Beth, Hotch’s girlfriend and Jack, Hotch’s teenaged son. Rossi’s wife Krystall, his step daughter Portia, daughter Joy—and her husband and son Kai—were also in attendance. Savannah and Hank were there too, Morgan’s wife and three year old son, cheering their favorite player on. 

JJ’s husband Will and their two boys, Henry and Michael were in the stands as usual; they never missed this yearly game. All of Matt Simmons’ small tribe were also present and accounted for; wife Kristy and their two sons Jake and David, twin girls Chloe and Lily and their newly one year old final child, Rose Mary. Even Emily’s boyfriend Andrew Mendoza had shown up to cheer on his favorite girl.

Alex Blake’s husband James had come, taking a weekend off of his teaching duties so he could travel to D.C. for the game. Stephen Walker’s wife Monica sat with their two teenagers, a son and a daughter, already whooping and cheering for his team. Kate Callahan’s little family was there too; it was nice to see them since you hadn’t seen them in a while. Her husband Chris was seated with their biological niece turned adopted daughter Meg—who was now 18 and so much older than the last time you’d seen her—and their youngest daughter, now five.

Rounding out the group of loved ones was Anderson’s wife, her belly swollen with pregnancy. 

If that sounded like a huge turnout, that didn’t even count the other members of the BAU and other departments of the FBI. The bleachers were absolutely packed. The game really was that big of a deal.

The game started out rather slow, which was pretty unusual for a game between both teams. With two incredibly talented teams, usually someone had scored by now, but in hindsight it also meant the defense of each team was incredibly good as well.

By the third inning, both Morgan and Hotch had hit two homeruns. You’d had a decent hit, but ended up striking out before you could reach third base.

In another inning, the opposite team had tied up. 

Poor Spencer up to this point had struck out every time he was at the bat. You could tell he was incredibly embarrassed, but you kept encouraging him.

“Don’t let it get you down, Spence,” you smiled, after he’d struck out again, “You’re gonna hit it when they least expect it and knock them off their feet.”

He offered an appreciative half smile and you found yourself silently cheering him on throughout the entire game.

Surprisingly, his right fielding skills were pretty great. He had caught on quickly and was able to fetch the balls and throw them to any nearby basemen. He had actually struck out Kate, preventing her from almost scoring another point to take the lead.

“Woo! Way to go, Spence!” you hooted, clapping as best as you could with your mitt.

You saw his face flush and you knew it wasn’t all from the heat.

By mid game, the sun had started beating down on all of the attendees causing lots of red faces, sweaty shirts and bottles of water to be consumed. You were hot and sweaty like no other, but you were having the best time.

The fifth inning brought your team a three point lead which you’d contributed one of those points to and you were rather proud. You high fived all your teammates as you ran across home plate and came to the end of the line where Spencer was. He picked you up and spun you around in his excitement.

“Is it my imagination or is someone actually having fun?” you grinned.

“I’m definitely having fun.”

-

The last inning was the most tense. 

It was tied 5 to 5 and Spencer was up to bat next. If he struck out, the opposing team had one last chance to come out ahead and win the game.

Spencer was a wreck, to put it lightly. He’d already struck out once and Morgan ended up calling a time out. 

Spencer had been pacing and gesticulating wildly as Morgan talked to him, finally putting his hands on Spencer’s shoulders to calm him.

Whatever Morgan said to him, seemed to work. 

You watched from the sidelines as he calmly walked back to the home plate. 

Stephen was the one pitching this inning and he had a pretty good throw. But you believed in Spencer.

“Come on Spencer! You can do it!” you hollered.

You watched his posture change from nervousness to more confident. There had definitely been some sort of change in him.

The ball left Stephen’s hand and went flying Spencer’s way. You found yourself holding your breath and you actually flinched at the sudden crack of the bat hitting the ball.

Spencer seemed stunned for a moment as the ball soared towards the outfield, high above everyone’s heads.

“Run, run!” you and the rest of the team yelled to him, snapping him out of his daze.

Garcia was on second base and Rossi was on third. They went running as the other team scrambled to catch the ball in time. 

Rossi crossed the home plate, causing loud hoots and cheers from the audience that continued on as Penelope made it home right behind him.

Spencer hit first base and second by the time Matt had retrieved the ball. You noticed Spencer pick up speed and whiz past third base, trying to make it in time before the ball reached the pitcher again.

The cheers grew louder as loved ones shouted their encouragement to Spencer in hopes he made it home.

He slid home moments before the ball met Stephen’s glove bringing the game to an end in a 5-8 win.

The bleachers erupted in screams, as did you and the rest of your team. 

Morgan practically tackled Spencer in a hug, Spencer’s grin so big it rivaled the brightness of the afternoon sun. 

You were right behind Morgan to greet Spencer. Morgan had just let him go as you ran up to him.

“Spence, that was awesome!” you cried. 

In your excitement you grabbed Spencer’s face and kissed him hard, not even thinking of what you were doing until after you’d already pulled away.

He stood frozen and stunned, a smile on his face and you grinned, realizing you didn’t regret it one bit.

Everyone else had been too busy to see it, you assumed, so before the rest of the team swarmed him you called to him.

“You deserved that!”

Just then, the other six members reached him, swallowing him up in their excitement. His smile never left his face and his eyes flicked to you numerous times, an almost shyness to him.

You had assumed no one had seen the kiss until you overheard Morgan’s comment to Spencer.

“Way to go pretty boy! You didn’t just get one home run today, you got two!”

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[five-rivers]

Long Night in the Valley Chapter 11

“Where are you going?” demanded Shigaraki, scratching his neck in agitation. 

Touya Dabi looked lazily over his shoulder.  “I’ve got something to do in town.  Might as well avoid a second trip, right?  You all go on back.”

“Aw, Dabi, you’re ditching us?” asked Toga.

“Yup.  See you back at base.  Let me know if you manage to wear down the giant, ‘kay?”

“Wait, wait, does that mean—Does that mean he has a way to get out past all these guys unnoticed?  Pfft that guy doesn’t know anything!  What are you talking about?  You’re gonna get caught, Dabi!”

Dabi ignored Twice, just giving the League of Villains a lazy wave over his shoulder before making his way down off the roof via the fire escape. 

Yeah.  He had a way out.  More importantly, he had some curiosity to satisfy and chaos to sow.

Time to bother a certain little birdy…

.

Hawks was in the middle of directing the clean-up team when he got a text.  From a contact labeled ‘boyfriend.’ 

The person in question was not, in fact his boyfriend.  Why, then, did he have him labeled thusly?

Because the person calling him was, in fact, the villain he was milking for information, and that did not fit well into a contact list.  On top of being suspicious. 

(Oh, and he lived in anticipation of the moment someone noticed the name of the contact and reported it to the press, causing his expensive commission-funded PR team to drown in delusional fangirls.  It was the little things in life that made it worth living…)

(In his opinion, they deserved it for making him go through with that frankly traumatic series of photoshoots right after he turned eighteen.)

Hawks…  Considered ignoring the call.  Today, to be honest, had sucked.  He’d been informed the former #1 hero had been kidnapped, ordered to hunt down a (questionably innocent) teenager, and lost a fight with said teenager.  Adding pretend terrorism to that might just be the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

Except…  People’s lives depended on the intelligence he was collecting.  He retreated to the shadows of a nearby alley and answered the phone. 

“I’m sort of busy right now,” he said. 

“Yeah?  Busy getting your teeth kicked in by All Might Junior?” Dabi cackled. 

“If you called just to make fun of me, I’m hanging up.”

“Do you really think I’m that petty?”

“Yes,” said Hawks. 

“Aww, that burns, chicken wing.  What if I told you I had a tip?”

“Oh, yeah?” asked Hawks.  “About what?”

“C’mon, you know you have to pay for it.”

Hawks covered the phone receiver while he sighed.  “What do you want?” he asked, more composed. 

“Just a ride out of town.  Didn’t think you guys would be this antsy today.  Did the kid kick your hill over, too?”

If Hawks had been religious, he’d be praying for patience. 

“Just you, or are your friends here, too?” asked Hawks as he tapped in a Heronet request for everyone to be on the lookout for the league of villains on his other phone.  “I can give everyone a ride.”

“Nah, just l’il ol’ me,” said Dabi. 

Yeah.  Hawks hadn’t expected Dabi to own up to his crew being in town.  Even if they were. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” said Hawks, texting the hero commission.  Maybe they’d see fit to cut their losses as far as the spy gig went and—Nope, they were approving his request regarding Dabi.  “What about that tip?”

“Here’s half of it,” said Dabi.  “Get your guys to scrape some of the runt’s blood off the sidewalk and run a DNA test on it.  I hear he’s related to someone interesting.”

Hawks closed his eyes.  If Midoriya was related to All for One, it would be the metaphorical nail in the coffin for him.  Having your life and future ruined because of who your parents were…  Hawks hadn’t exactly experienced something like that, but he’d felt the fear of it for quite some time.  

(Despite everything, he still wanted to be a hero.)

“Thanks, for the heads up, dude.  Where should I pick you up?”

.

“You really need to check in on your safehouses more often,” said Izuku as Toshinori reapplied the bandages around his ankle.

“I know.  I was busy.  I’m sorry.  I haven’t exactly been helpful in all of this, have I?”

“I would have been caught within the hour, if you didn’t pick me up,” said Izuku.  “I wasn’t in my right mind.  But what now?”

“We can still go to Deika, I suppose,” said Toshinori.  “We just, ah…”  He looked up at Gigantomachia and Izuku followed his gaze with a wince. 

Yeah.  That wasn’t going to fly in any reasonably populous area. 

As he watched, Machia pulled a small box out from beneath his shirt.  Izuku blinked.  That was a two-way radio. 

Wait. 

Gigantomachia pressed a button, and the radio crackled to life.  “DOCTOR!” shouted Gigantomachia.  “I HAVE FOUND THE LITTLE LORD AND HIS FRIEND.  WHAT SHOULD I DO?”

Izuku tensed.  He and Toshinori should have realized Machia would have some way of communicating with the doctor.  After all, he’d said something along the lines of ‘call the doctor’ earlier. 

Sure, both Izuku and Toshinori were injured, exhausted, and distracted by events playing out inside their heads, but just because a mistake was understandable didn’t mean it was forgivable.  Or survivable. 

The radio crackled with static.  No response.

Izuku let out a sigh of relief as Machia repeatedly tried to raise the doctor on the other end of the line before breaking down in tears. 

.

“Are- Are you sure we shouldn’t pull over, Dr. Tsubasa?  Your phone is going off an awful lot.”

“I’ve been getting a lot of prank calls lately,” said Garaki, knuckles white around the steering wheel.  “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

He was, in fact, quite sure it wasn’t nothing.  But he couldn’t take a call from the League of Villains, or even Machia, with Midoriya Inko in the car. 

He checked his GPS.  Yes, Machia was staying still, which probably meant that he had Midoriya Izuku.  Hopefully, he had already disposed of All Might, and could, therefore, devote his energy to keeping the Midoriyas from escaping and Midoriya Inko from attempting to kill Garaki once they arrived.  And—

No, he was moving again.  Curse the creature.  How hard could it be to keep one teenager in place?

True, the teenager was the son of All for One and starting to grow into his terrifying legacy, but really. 

“And you’re sure your friend will help us keep Izuku from being arrested?” asked Inko.  She had been asking him some version of this question every few minutes since they got in the car.

“Quite sure,” said Garaki.  He had been giving some version of this answer every few minutes since they got in the car.

“Is he… a lawyer of some kind?”

The picture of Gigantomachia as a lawyer was so incongruous that Garaki flinched and nearly drove off the road. 

“No,” he said, perfectly calmly, not at all freaking out over what All for One would do to him if he involved Inko in a car accident.  He laughed nervously.  Oh, he’d better hope the accident killed him.  Goodness. 

“You have your driver’s license, right?” asked Inko.

“Yes,” said Garaki.  His phone started buzzing again.  He ignored it in favor of checking the GPS again. 

Oh, dear.  He knew where Machia was going. 

This could be… interesting.  He glanced at Inko.  Very interesting.

At least he knew how to get there.

.

“I’m just saying,” said Izuku, who had been relieved far too early in the game.  “I really, really don’t get along with Shigaraki Tomura.  I think we should probably not go anywhere near him.  It’s a really bad idea.”

“But he can call the doctor for you!” said Machia, excitedly as he bounded through the forest.  “Then you can be better, Little Lord!  All fixed up!”

Again, that did not make Izuku feel better.  He squirmed against Machia’s arms. 

.

None of the League of Villains were bad at sneaking.  In fact, they were all quite good at it. 

However, they’d come into the city with the expectation that they would have a quick getaway courtesy of the doctor if anything went wrong.  Which they no longer had.  Because he was ‘not in his lab’ and ‘busy.’  Self-important NPC…  until the noumu got up and running, his whole point was to provide fast travel. 

Anyway.  Between being unexpectedly stranded and the stupidly huge numbers of heroes out looking for the cauliflower brat aka player two (Tomura didn’t have any proof he was actually Sensei’s kid, and until then…), they were going into this stealth mission with serious handicaps. 

(With Dabi gone something like ninety-nine percent of that handicap was Twice and his inability to walk around like a normal person.  Tomura had left his hands at home and Compress just had to take off his mask.  Toga would have the easiest time of it, Tomura could admit, because she just had to shank someone.)

“I hate to say it,” said Mr. Compress, “but I think our burnt friend might have the right idea.  Splitting up will give us better chances.”

“No way,” whined Toga.  “We’ve got to stick together.  Right, boss man?”  She hugged Tomura’s arm until he pushed her off with his knuckles. 

“There’s a car down there with the keys still in the ignition,” said Twice, pointing down into an alley.

They all leaned over the side of the roof to look at the car.  It was old-fashioned.  Antique, even.  Someone clearly put a lot of care into keeping it clean and running. 

The keys were, indeed, still in the ignition. 

“A sting?” suggested Mr. Compress, uncertainly. 

“Nah, they don’t use cars like that for stings in this city,” said Tomura, revising his opinion on whether or not Twice was a handicap.  “They use, like, sports cars.  Who here can drive?”

“I don’t have a license,” said Toga.  “I was too young when I ran away from home.”

“I didn’t ask who had a license.  I asked who can drive.”

“I can drive—Badly!—I drive fine.  Hardly ever crashed—depends what you mean by ‘crash.’”

Tomura scratched his neck.  He wasn’t touching that with a ten-foot pole.  “Compress, tell me you can drive.”

“I never learned how to use a stick shift.”

He pulled his bloody fingernails away from his neck.  “Okay.  Here’s the deal.  Twice, if you crash us, I’ll kill you.”

“Sure thing, boss!” said Twice, saluting.  “Not if I kill you first, jerkface!”

This was going to be a long drive.

.

“We’ve got a new message from the HSPC,” said the producer, sliding a piece of paper onto the presenter’s desk.  “Read that as soon as we come off the commercials, okay?”

“Got it,” said the presenter, putting her headphones back on.  She read the notice. 

Members of the league of villains have been sighted in Musutafu and are believed to be present in connection with the kidnapping of Yagi Toshinori, also known as All Might.  Please exercise caution…

.

The commission investigators had been waiting for at least half an hour before any of the UA staff even deigned to greet them.

“It’s about time,” said Abe. 

“Sorry,” said the teacher waving.  “You can’t come in.”

“Excuse me?”

“The campus is on lockdown because of what happened at the testing center,” explained the teacher.  “We can’t open the gates without Nezu’s authorization, and he was called away to deal with an emergency.”

“What,” said Ito, dropping his cigarette and grind it under his heel.  “Seriously?  This is the emergency.  One of your own teachers got kidnapped.  All Might got kidnapped.  Don’t you care?”

The teacher snorted.  Abe and Ito stared at him through the bars of the fence, taken aback. 

“I’m sorry, it’s just—”  The man snickered again.  “Midoriya kidnapping Yagi.  That’s certainly an image.”

“Midoriya is a trained in combat and has three dangerous quirks.  All Might can’t even use his one anymore.”

“Yes, yes, I’m not saying it’s physically impossible.  But—”  He started laughing.  “Possible and likely are two different things.  Excuse me.  I never introduced myself.  I’m Lunch Rush, and if you ever saw those two at lunch time together, you’d have a very clear picture of why this whole situation is absurd.”

“Maybe you can show us the tapes, then,” said Abe.  “After you let us in.”

“No, sir, I’m afraid I can’t.  Even if I had access to them, there are students in those videos!”

“So?”

“Minors, you see.  Without written parental permission or a court order we can’t show them to anyone not affiliated with the school.  Now, I must be going.  I have a culinary arts class to teach!”

He was still chuckling as he walked away.  “Midoriya kidnapping Yagi, oh ho, I knew I’d get a kick out of actually hearing someone say that seriously…”

.

“Wow,” said Twice, “this car gets terrible gas mileage.”

“Are we going to run out?” asked Toga.  “That’ll be exciting!  I’ll have to flag down some generous motorist to give us a lift~”

“Yes!  Not soon!”

Compress leaned forward from the back seat and started fiddling with the radio, barely staying on each channel long enough to tell if they were playing music or news.

Tomura groaned and covered his face with his hand.  He contemplated whether it was worth letting his pinky drop just to escape this. 

“… League of Villains?” 

Compress stopped changing channels.

“They’ve been saying it all along.  I know it’s hard to believe that UA could miss something like this, something like a traitor, but it’s just facts.  The League’s presence in Musutafu confirms it.  He kidnapped All Might for them”

“It all seems awfully coincidental, though, and the commission isn’t showing us any pictures—How do we know for sure the League is in the city?  For that matter, if the League is really involved, how do we know Midoriya Izuku isn’t just another victim?  We never got a full tally of their members.  They could have someone with a, I don’t know, a brainwashing quirk.”

“Yumi, you really need to lay off the late-night conspiracy theories.  We can trust the hero commissioookkkhhh—”

The radio died horribly as Tomura decayed it out of console.

“I am going to commit murder,” said Tomura.  How did this always happen?  How was it always this attention-grabbing, kill-stealing little—

“I guess we have time for a pit stop.  No, we don’t!”

“Don’t you dare stop this car until we’re back at base,” growled Tomura.  He took a deep breath that really wasn’t calming at all. 

“I kind of have, to, I mean, road signs and all…  Uh.”

“We’re villains, dude,” said Spinner.  “You can break a few traffic laws.”

“Hell ye—Not if we want to live.”

“You can follow the traffic signs,” allowed Tomura.  He leaned back his seat, ignoring Mr. Compress’s complaint about squished legs. 

Player two.  Finishing the tutorial and then blazing through a quest like that.  Crazy OP character build. 

He still wanted player two in his party.  He also wanted to knock the brat so far off the leaderboard that he’d never play the game again. 

These were, Tomura acknowledged, somewhat conflicting desires.  He was, at the moment, leaning toward the second, but the first would give him ongoing dominance which would be incredibly satisfying. 

If player two really was Sensei’s kid…

Then Tomura… He’d be like… a big brother.   An older sibling. 

That felt… weird.  But also weirdly like something he wanted.  Ugh, it sounded like a pain.  Stupid story-mode side quest with garbage rewards, except the garbage rewards were the best rewards. 

He hadn’t built his character for social interactions.  He was combat class, high DPS. 

Why couldn’t things just be simple?  Why couldn’t he just destroy what he wanted?

“Heyyyy!” squealed Toga.  “It’s a McDonalds!  We could get murder and fries.”

“Do.  Not.  Stop.  The car.”

.

Machia thundered into the abandoned quarry with all the enthusiasm of a deranged puppy. 

“This is Shigaraki Tomura’s secret hide out!” proclaimed the giant, setting a windswept Izuku and Toshinori down in front of a crumbling, half-collapsed building.  He beamed proudly.  “SHIGARAKI TOMURA!” he screamed at the building, frightening away the few brave birds in the quarry that had yet to leave.

No one came out.  Machia sniffed the air. 

“Oh,” he said.  “They aren’t home.”

“That’s fine,” said Izuku, patting Machia.  He didn’t elaborate.  Most of his brainpower was currently tied up in preventing his legs from folding underneath him. 

“Why don’t we,” began Toshinori before hacking up a large quantity of blood.  “Why don’t we just show ourselves in?  I’m sure it will be more comfortable for young—For the little lord to wait inside.  And perhaps one of them left a phone we can use.”

“The last time you went into a building by yourselves, you were attacked,” rumbled Machia. 

“That is true,” said Toshinori, “but there’s no one in this building.  You’d be able to smell them.”

“Not if they were invisible.”

Izuku blinked slowly.  “That,” he said, “doesn��t sound right.”

He continued to blink as Toshinori convinced Machia that he would, in fact, be able to smell invisible people.  He must have missed something, though, because next thing he knew, Toshinori was steering him into what passed as the building’s door. 

“Alright,” said Toshinori, voice low.  “We’re going to get you cleaned up as best we can, then we’re going to take everything that looks useful and sneak out.”

“Like… food and stuff?”

“Yes.  And we’re also going to see if we can break enough things that they’ll have to take care of that instead of following us.”

“We could just set some things on fire,” said Izuku, who had never considered himself a pyromaniac of any kind, but who had also grown up alongside Kacchan. 

“Good idea,” said Toshinori, who had been the type of fifth grader who made jokes about setting things on fire but had only ever burned his workbook at the end of the school year.  “Let’s see if these guys have running water.”

“You know,” said Izuku, carefully avoiding a bunch of old food wrappers.  “I sort of expected a more impressive evil lair, all things considered.”

“This is average for high-level fugitives, actually,” said Toshinori.  “Especially if they don’t have a lot of connections or cash.”

“Huh,” said Izuku, cautiously opening a door.  “Here’s the bathroom.  Huh.”

There were a lot of hair products in the bathroom.  A lot a lot. 

It’s like the candles budget chart, snickered Six in the back of Izuku’s head.  Help, I’m trying to balance my evil lair budget.  This is what I’ve got so far:  Electricity, 100 yen, building, 1100 yen, furniture, 200 yen, hair styling products, 9,000,000 yen. 

Izuku wheezed. 

But, seriously.  Why did they need this much hair stuff?  Shigaraki obviously hadn’t ever even heard of personal grooming.  Toga had her natural hair color.  Compress didn’t show his face or his hair.  Spinner had a lizard mutation.  Dabi—

It was totally Dabi. 

Oh gosh, based on how most of the hair dye boxes were labeled for temporary use and quick removal…  Haha, was Dabi just… just waiting… just waiting for an opportune moment to dramatically reveal himself? 

Izuku started wheezing again. 

“Are you alright, my boy?” asked Toshinori confused.

“This is Dabi’s hair dye,” said Izuku.

“Hm.  I hadn’t realized he dyed it.”

“I want this hair dye,” said Izuku.

“I suppose we can try to find the brand once we get to a supermarket,” said Toshinori, confused.

“No, no,” said Izuku, still gazing down at the box sitting next to the sink.  “I don’t want to use this brand of hair dye.  I want to use this hair dye.”

“Oh.  Oh,” said Toshinori.  “This hair dye.  Dabi’s hair dye.”

“Yes,” said Izuku.

“To be petty.”

“Yes,” confirmed Izuku again. 

“It has been a long time since I was… petty,” said Toshinori.

“Vlad-sensei’s car?”

“That was convenience, not pettiness.”

“Well,” said Izuku, picking up the box.  “We are sort of… you know… villains, now.  Since we fought Hawks.   I am anyway.”

“You’re not a villain,” protested Toshinori. 

“I mean, from a legal standpoint,” said Izuku.  “Not a moral one.  And, well.  Villains are petty, right?”

“I do not believe pettiness is an exclusively villainous trait, my boy.  In any case, I wasn’t condemning you.”  He put his hands on his hips and looked up at the cracked and crumbling ceiling.  “If we had more time here, we could set up some things that would really annoy them.”

“More than stealing their food, their money, their clothes, and their hair dye before setting their house on fire?” asked Izuku. 

Toshinori scratched his head.  “You know, now that I think about it, probably not.  But does this really qualify as a house?” 

.

“Hey,” said Hawks.  “So, about the other half of that tip.”

“Huh?  There isn’t a second half.  That was just to keep you from ditching me.”

Hawks had met villains who were civilized professionals.  Why couldn’t he be trying to infiltrate a society made up of those types, and not one that included the racoon currently filling his car (technically the commission’s car) with the scent of smoke and charred flesh?

“Well, what about that ‘interesting parentage’ you were alluding to?”

“Oh.  Shigaraki thinks Midoriya is his sensei’s kid.”  Dabi shrugged.  “Honestly… yeah.  I kind of see it.  But you’d think he’d get his kid to work with us instead of whatever is going on between him and Shigaraki, on the other hand…”  Dabi trailed off. 

Hawks momentarily glanced away from the road to see Dabi with an uncharacteristically pensive expression. 

“I mean,” continued Dabi, leaning on his hand as he stared out the window, “the whole hero thing could be sticking it to his old man.  I can respect that.” 

“You sound like you’re talking from experience,” observed Hawks. 

“You still talk to your parents?” asked Dabi. 

“Nope.”

“Heh, you wouldn’t tell me even if you did, would you?”

“Hey, you are a villain.  I’ve got to keep my soft spots covered, right?”

“Right,” drawled Dabi.  “Kid held up pretty well against you, didn’t he?”

“He did okay,” said Hawks.  “He got away, after all.”

“Wonder how he’d do against Endeavor.  One-on-one.  What d’you think?”

Hawks couldn’t help but swallow.  If it were one-on-one, and Midoriya could still use Erasure…  He hated to think it, but Endeavor might lose.  A man with no quirk against a strong enhancer and that black tentacle emitter…

He wondered how long it would be before Midoriya got put on the S-rank villain list.  The paperwork had to be in progress. 

(After all, he’d defeated the number two hero – or near enough – while holding off three others.)

(On the other hand… that building…)

“It’d certainly be a fight,” said Hawks, neutrally.  “Is Midoriya really not working with you?”

“Nope,” said Dabi, not quite managing to pop the ‘p’ with his burnt lips.  “Not saying he isn’t a villain or whatever.  That’s up to you guys after all.”

“Not me,” said Hawks.  “I’m on your side, remember?”

“I remember,” said Dabi.  “Anyway, I only was face-to-face with him that one time in the forest, last summer.  He had a great expression.  Not as great as – Well.  That part doesn’t matter.”

Ugh…  Hawks hadn’t taken Dabi for the kind of killer who’d reminisce about his kills.  Maybe he could – No.  Lose Dabi and he’d lose his lead on the League, and who knew how many more people would end up dead.

He just wished the commission would give him backup on this.  Someone who actually worked with infiltration.  Someone who could help him minimize the damage the League was doing. 

“Pull over,” said Dabi.  “This is my stop.”

“You live around here?”

Dabi snorted.  “Not a chance.  You get to see our base once we’re sure you won’t tattle.”

“Come on, you can’t blame a guy for curiosity,” said Hawks. 

“Sure can,” said Dabi opening the door and jumping out onto the gravel margin.  “I’ll call you.”  He walked off the side of the road into the scruffy tree cover and disappeared. 

“Well,” mumbled Hawks, deliberately ignoring all the elocution lessons the commission had stuffed him with.  “That was useless.”

Except for the tiny feathers he’d snuck into the lining of Dabi’s coat.  But those had limited range and Hawks wasn’t good enough at stealth to follow Dabi without making an idiot (a potentially dead one on top of that) out of himself. 

His phone began to ring, the bugs in the car having shown the commission that Dabi was gone.  Hawks sighed and answered.  Time for new marching orders. 

.

The landscape was much more intact, now.  It was still a battlefield.  Four was dodging bullets and catching grenades to sling them back at his attackers.  He dove to the ground right before a cheerily painted building exploded into splinters. 

Danger Sense, Aizawa concluded.  Some kind of limited precognition? 

“Shigaraki?” said Iida.  “He’s a Shigaraki?  He’s related to—to him?  To Shigaraki?”

“Sensei,” said Uraraka, tugging on his sleeve, “that other man, you don’t think that was, you know, the man from Kamino?  All for One?”

“Midoriya thinks that All Might is related to All for One?” muttered Todoroki, just load enough to hear.  “That – no, that does make sense.  Their quirks are wrong, though, but if there are enough generations, you can’t really predict…  Does that make Midoriya and Shigaraki cousins?”

Todoroki paused.  Aizawa braced himself, both for the violence he was sure he was about to see, and the torture Todoroki was about to inflict on him. 

“Midoriya is related to All for One,” whispered Todoroki. 

.

Shouto didn’t blame Midoriya for trying to hide it.  If at all possibly, he would have hidden the fact that he was related to Endeavor.  Sure, he might have lost some privileges, but he also would have gotten rid of the constant comparisons between himself and his father. 

Much like Shimura Souma had to face. 

It must have been terrible for a young Midoriya to learn that he was related to a man who had so injured his father. 

To learn that he was related to this man. 

(No wonder he based this shade on Shouto, although Shouto didn’t think that Endeavor was quite as bad as All for One.)

There was a sound like cymbals being brought together, then—

Light.

And—

Sound. 

A group of soldiers who had been sneaking up on Four were obliterated by a lightning strike that left behind fire and glassed soil. 

Four got up and did a sort of awkward bunny hop away from the strike zone, blinking dazedly and covering his ears.  Shouto knew he’d be behaving similarly if his dream body behaved at all realistically.  Especially given the risk of being electrocuted due to the charge in the ground…  Or was that just for downed power lines and Kaminari?  He didn’t remember, and apparently neither did Four. 

There was another crash of the cymbals, like thunder before the lightning and the lightning struck again, farther off. 

And then a woman, a few years older than Four ran out from between two of the buildings, cymbals in her hands.  Her graying hair was worn in tiny braids and her skin was dark.  Mixed race – That would have been rarer back then.  She had other musical instruments (drumsticks, some kind of flute, what looked like maracas) attached to her belt, but was otherwise dressed in generic military surplus gear.  There was a massive surgical scar stretching across her throat. 

“Haruna,” said Four.  “What, what are you doing here?”

‘Haruna’ tucked one of the cymbals under her arm and began signing aggressively at Four. 

“Ye-yes.  But – Your children, they need you.”

More signing.  “I’m not being hypocritical.”  He gestured to the mark over his eye.  “I’m dying anyway.  You aren’t.”

Her face twists, then twists again as she notices more armed men approaching.  She claps her hands, metal sewn into the palms flashing before a slender bolt of lightning cracks across the sky. 

This is when Shouto realizes who she is.  He’d learned about her in art class, of all things.  Thunderclap.  One half of one of the first villain duo to be marked as S-rank, active during the dawn of heroics.  Her birth name was widely believed to be Harmony Trey, and she’d used the alias Miura, but records from back then, even for something that important, were sketchy, and criminals were never good at keeping paperwork up to date in the first place.    

Her quirk was sound-based weather manipulation.  No one knew what had happened to her throat, but the public of the past had been grateful for it.  She could cause lightning strikes with a clap.  What could she do with her own voice?

Something like twenty percent of the early propaganda pieces for the Hero Practices and Standards Commission had her and her partner on them, being defeated or held off by various newly licensed heroes. 

Neither of them had ever been caught. 

Was she ‘Three?’  If so, Shouto could understand why Six didn’t want to say anything, although All for One was much more jarring and—

Hold up.  Thunderclap had been active over a hundred years ago.  If All for One was here, too, then that meant that either:

Midoriya’s subconscious was terrible at timelines (and so was Shouto’s because he’d just accepted all this without question until a split second ago). Or—

All for One had an immortality quirk on top of all the other terrifying things he could do.

The fact that the second one was more plausible was unfair of reality. 

(Shouto liked ‘conspiracy’ theories, but his theories were, for the most part, well, not things that would keep him up at night for fear of nightmares.)

Except she didn’t seem to see them at all, so maybe not.  The rules in the dreamscape had, appropriately, a dreamlike consistency.  That is to say, hardly any. 

“Please,” said Four.  “We don’t both need to die.”

Thunderclap looked like she was about to cry.  But she nodded.  Four turned to face the rest of the small army bearing down on him. 

.

The house looked cozy, thought Tenya.  Sort of like that cabin his family had rented in the countryside a few years back.  The lights were dim but warm.  The smell of food and spices permeated the air.  Children and teens of various ages were draped over furniture. 

In the kitchen, four adults sat around a table.  Four, Thunderclap, a man who was entirely green, and woman with hair so golden it literally glowed. 

As a middle schooler, Tenya had done a lot of research into discrimination against people with mutation quirks and vestigial or tangential mutations.  It had branched off into research into quirk-based discrimination in general.  If this scene was truly set near the dawn of heroics, the green man and the golden-haired woman would have risked being attacked just walking on the street in most cities. 

He looked back through the doorway at the children in the other room.

Both the yellow hair and the green curls were painfully familiar. 

Did Midoriya really think he was related to Thunderclap of all people?  The idea was preposterous. 

Except—

Oh, he was getting just as bad as Todoroki.  Not to mention, even if Midoriya did have a terrorist in his family tree a hundred years ago, it didn’t change anything about Midoriya.  Goodness, Tenya most likely had some less than savory characters in his own family tree, even if he didn’t know about them. 

Four doubled over clutching his head, interrupting the apparently light-hearted story the green man was telling. 

“They’re coming,” gasped Four.  “They’re coming.  Go bags – phone tree – we have to.”

“I’ll get the kids,” said the golden-haired woman. 

.

“Your body is shutting down,” said a man in a doctor’s coat.  “These cracks, they aren’t just on your skin, they’re on your organs, too.  I can’t find any reason for it.  Maybe if we had access to genetic testing…” he shook his head.  “Maybe you can still get it.  Your quirk is concealable.  Not like most of us here.”  He took a moment to tug on one of his long, sheeplike ears.

Four shook his head.  “Too big a risk.”

“Mhm, it’s up to you,” said the doctor, dubiously.  “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more, Yagi-san.”

“It’s still Shimura.  Yagi is my wife.”

“That’s still confusing.”

“The name change thing is western,” said Four, “and I picked Shimura for a reason.”

Aizawa steadied himself against a wall.  The last two shifts had been disorienting. 

“Is there anything else I can do?” asked the doctor. 

“Can you help me tell my wife?”

.

Four was screaming and holding his face.  In front of him was a huge boulder, split in half. 

.

“Hoshino,” said Four, leaning down so that his head rested on top of the golden-haired woman’s.  “I gave it away.  I gave it away.”

“Lariat worked out, then?” asked Hoshino.  Yagi Hoshino, Aizawa had to presume. 

“He’s a good person,” said Four, hoarsely.  “I like working with him.”

“You don’t have to stop.”

Four closed his eyes.  “I think… without it…  I might be able to live here.  At least, visit more often.”

“I’d like that.  I think the kids would, too.”

.

Four, hunched over, clutching his head. 

.

Four, in an alley, fighting men with knives, standing in front of a young woman with clawed hands.  He’d been stabbed in the side. 

.

They were back in the house, watching a news program.  A trainline had been hit by a villain attack.  A ticker on the bottom read ‘mutant metahuman train under attack by Evolutionary gang.’  The reporter’s voiceover was saying something along the lines of this is why mutants shouldn’t be allowed on public transport, they bring their gang wars with them.

Lariat was on the scene.  A man recognizable only by his green skin at this distance fell out of one of the train cars.  Lariat grabbed him with one of his black energy whips and put him back. 

Thunderclap relaxed her death grip on Four’s arm by just an iota. 

“He saved him,” said Four. 

.

A much younger Four leaned against a wooden wall.  He was splattered with blood, his clothing torn. 

“I couldn’t save her,” he whispered.  His hands were shaking.  “Shimura-san—”  His breath caught. 

.

A woman with her hair gathered into a curly gray ponytail sat at a desk, blankly staring at the content.  She wore a grey cardigan and could have been Thunderclap’s sister.  Her eyes were obscured. 

Which meant she probably was, all things considered. 

Which meant that she was the other half of that S-rank villain pair. 

Tempest.

“You don’t have to do this,” said Four.

“I do.  You don’t understand how many people he’s killed.  You don’t understand what he’s done.  He has Haruna.  I can’t—”

The scene sheered away as Tempest turned to face Four. 

.

Do you remember when I first met you?

“Oh, this isn’t a pleasant one,” said Four, voice deceptively mild. 

They were in an underground facility.   The walls were concrete and metal, covered in pipes.  The sounds of footsteps echoed down the hallway, starting and stopping. 

“Although,” said Four, “there were certainly some good points as well.”

A teenage version of Four ran down the hall, frequently looking over his shoulder.  His hands clutched a ring of keys by their blades and a pair of ID cards.  His long, shaggy hair hung in his face, and he kept having to push it out of the way. 

He reached a door at the end of the hall, and started fumbling with the keys, muttering under his breath.  He slid one of the cards through a scanner near the door.  It clicked open. 

First contact. 

There were definitely fewer voices involved in the proclamation, now.  Two men, one woman.  The woman had an American accent. 

Beyond the door, a woman was strapped to the bed, unconscious.  No, not a woman, the same woman who had been at the desk. 

Tempest.  Storm-caller.  A villain who had been responsible for bringing so many storms to bear against Japan that they had permanently changed the coastline. 

“Got to get you out of here before Dad comes back,” muttered the younger Four, untying the straps.  “You need to wake up.  Ah, Narcan.”  He started rifling through a cabinet.  “Narcan, Narcan…  Narcan.  Found you.”

“Don’t look for Three,” said Four.  “She doesn’t want to talk to you.  Or anyone.  Do you know where Jinoshi Lake Camp is?”

“My class went there on a history field trip, once,” said Uraraka. 

“Yeah,” said Aizawa, not liking where this was going at all.  “I know the place.”

‘The place’ being what amounted to a concentration camp for quirked people in the early days of the quirk boom.  How bad it was tended to be glossed over in history lessons, but Aizawa had long been able to read between the lines. 

In the earliest days, the government had tried surgically removing quirks.  Typically by removing the relevant body parts.

“That’s her contact point.  Don’t look too closely.”

Aizawa supposed he knew how Thunderclap got her scars. 

#bnha #boku no hero academia #fanfic #my fic #long night in the valley

[entityattheendoftheroad]

Demon’s bleed too, bitch.

Part one

Tw: Cheating, blood, mentions of a knife, mild violence, angst,  Derealisation

word count: 1.9k

You and Beel had hit it off as soon as you arrived in the Devildom, sure Mammon was protective over you but, he was often busy with photo shoots and hiding from debt collecting witches and was more like an older pain in the ass brother. You were both fairly sporty and your hunger was almost as strong as his after workouts, causing you guys to run into each other in the kitchen often, causing you guys to start working out together and hanging out more in turn causing a soft spot for the tall ginger demon. The rest was history.

---

Directly after school you sprinted back to the house, with the plan of surprising Beel after his practice with food you had prepared for him. You had to hurry though, because even though practice was long that just meant that he’d be even hungrier. Still sprinting without even looking where you were going, you ran into Simeon in the halls, nearly tackling you both to the ground, but him catching you both before you had the chance to fall. “Whoa there MC where you off to in such a hurry?” The mildly concerned angel said with a smile. You beamed back him just as brightly, “perfect, a helper!” Grabbing his wrist and tugging him along the way to the kitchen.

 When you had arrived you tossed him an apron and washing your hands, “Beel has practice today, I wanna surprise him at the end up practice with some burgers and..” Simeon nodded in understanding. “I’ve helped Luke bake enough that I know my way around the kitchen well enough, where do you want me?” You gasped, and smiled “Thank you,thank you, thank you, thank you.” Squealing at Simeon. “Can you do the prep work for the toppings, while i work on cooking the burgers?” He just nodded and headed towards the fridge, grabbing ingredients, as you headed to a different fridge to grab the meat for the burgers. Combining the spices, meat and eggs to bind the patties together, forming them thick, wax paper between each. After finishing forming them all you needed to do was cook them, slapping them on the preheated griddle. 

Then checking to see how Simeon was faring, the tomatoes cheese and pickles all finished, all he needed to do was the lettuce. “Your knife skills are incredible Simeon!” Admiring at how everything was completely uniform and genuinely looked like it was prepared by angel. “Thank you lamb, I’ve had alot of practice.” He smiled graciously at the compliment. “Those burgers smell delicious MC.” Inhaling the scent. “Thanks it’s a human realm recipe.” Giddy from the praise you were receiving from the angel. Turning back to flipping the burgers listening to the savoury sizzle on the griddle, “mmmmmm, hey Simeon can you pass..” Simeon already by your side passing you the plate of cheese. “Yes?” Smiling cheekily at predicting your movements. Laughing, “thank you, i’m so glad to have you as a friend Simeon,not just because you’re an angel, but because even if you weren’t, you’d still be as kind and understanding as you are now, whatever you were.” Smiling up at him, seeing his eye’s sparkle at you. Placing a hand on your head, “I’m glad to be your friend too, MC.”

After finishing making and wrapping every burger, you offered one to Simeon. “It’s the least I could do after all your help,” Shifting the hefty bag on your shoulder. “You can take another Luke if you’d like,” warmly smiling at the angel. “Thank you, I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.” Giving you a head pat and taking the burgers. “You’d better hurry though, I think his practice is gonna end soon.” You checked the clock on the wall. “Oh no! Simeon I gotta go thank you so much for your help today.” Rushing out of the house of Lamentation and towards the school. 

Recognising some of Beel’s team mates leaving the school, “hey have you guys seen Beel?” Asking Inquisitively, looking at the tall, built Demons. One of them scratching their heads thinking, “Uh yeah earlier at practice but, he said he had to leave early, had to go do something, dunno what though.”  Scrunching your eyebrows looking down. “I wonder why he didn’t tell me about having plans.” Looking back up and you had realised that they were gone. Eliciting an exasperated sigh from you. Pulling out your phone and texting Beel.

MC: Hey babe, wya? ;)

Beelzebabe <3: I’m at practise, wdym muffin?

Utterly confused, scrunching your eyebrows at the message, did his team mates lie?... Did he?

MC: Want me to stop by with some snacks?

Beelzebabe <3:Please don’t babe, i haven’t been doing that well with my playing and i’m already embarrassed :/

MC:Are you sure you don’t want me there?

Beelzebabe<3: yeah sorry muffin

MC: no it’s okay babe

Your stomach started twisting into knots, something didn’t feel right. Beel’s not hungry, his team mates saying he left early from practice, when usually he’d stay late to help the coach. Just call him yeah, that’ll call him that’ll calm your nerves. Your hand’s shaking a little as you press call, and the ringing just builds your nerves. You sigh in relief when you hear him.

“Hey muffin, what do you need?”

“I don’t need anything, I just missed you is al...”

“[groans]”

“Are you alright? You seem a little off today babe..”

“Huh? I do? Nah I’m alright I just got a little sore in practice coz coach pushed us hard today is all.”

“Are you sure that it you sound really out of breath.”

“Well yeah I just finished practice,”

In the background you can hear a voice say “just hang up already”

Eyes widening, you clasp a hand over your mouth.

“Beel who was that?”

“What do you mean MC?” Beelzebub practically panted out.

“Beelzebub I’m at the school, I wanted to surprise you with food and you’re not here. Tell me what’s going on, right now!”

The silence was deafening and he hung up.

You blinked, looking at your phone screen. Your boyfriend really hung up on you, your sweet, adorable, kind boyfriend. Had hung up on you. You walked back to the house of Lamentation in a shocked daze, covering the world in your eyes.

When you walked through the door, you were greeted with an awake Belphegor. Going completely unnoticed by you. “Hey MC, what’s wrong?” Looking at you quizzically, with a hint of a smirk. Looking off into the distance “I dunno, Beel’s acting weird, and i’m not sure as to why..” You say, even though going through your thoughts feels like swimming through fog. “Can I go to yours and Beel’s room?” Hopefully looking his eyes. “You wouldn’t want to it’s a mess up there.” Shrugging off your request. You tilt your head, “I’ve been in your guys’s room before, I know it is.” An exasperated sigh comes from the twin as he looks you up and down, smirking “Then go right ahead, MC.” You smile muted but gratefully at him and get a few steps before he says, “you won’t like what you see MC.” You look back at him, eyebrow raised. “I’m just saying it’s a disaster up there is all.” As you walk further you swear you hear him, “Human’s are idiots.”

When you get to his door, shaking like a leaf you turn the door knob.

Beelzebub’s naked and so is the demon, that he was face first between their legs. You dropped the bag of burgers, eye twitching. “Beelzebub.” They both froze and he turned to face you “MC it’s not..”. “We’re over.”Mono tone and staring blankly into his eyes, and closed the door behind yourself and hear a moan from behind it, your eyes widening and tears attempting to pull from your eyes, as Belphie walks around the corner to see you staring blankly and you turn your head to see him smirking at you, “not gonna lie I was expecting more of a reaction from you, kind of disap..”

Your fist collided with his nose, with a sickening crunch. Wiping his smug smirk off his face. Lowering your hand, as black blood began to dribble down from his nose. Eyes wandering to your fist he raised his fingers to below his nose, looking at his fingers the black blood covering covering them. “You may be a demon but, mother fucker you still bleed.” And you walk away from the demon still staring at his own blood.

You find yourself on the steps of Purgatory hall. You knock on the door with your still bloody hand. Solomon opening the door with an aggravated sigh. “What do you want Asm- oh it’s you, what do you want? And why do you smell so bad?” A look of awe and horror came across his face as he looked at your hand. “Did anybody see you?” You shook your head, “then get your dumbass in here before a demon does.” Pulling you in to and locking every lock on the doors. Pulling you towards the dorms, “What happened?” Looking at you with genuine concern, then started to look for and pull out ingredients. You sighed looking down at the ground, “I punched Belphegor,” his head snapping towards your direction, gulping. “I’m sorry must’ve heard you wrong. You... punched... who?” Looking at you, like you were a walking corpse. “Belphegor.” Grinding your teeth together, as he let out a pained sigh rubbing his temples, “Wh- wh-why why did you punch Belphegor?” Still rubbing his temples. “I caught Beelzebub cheating on me and Belphegor was being an asshole about it.” You winced as you said it, heart pounding thinking about the 2 brothers. “Oh,” Looking at you as tears started to escape your eyes, “I’m sorry MC. I’ll be right back okay,” placing a hand on your shoulder looking deep into your eyes, then leaving. Leaving you alone with your thoughts and tears.

Solomon came back with Simeon, as soon as he seen you crying dropped in front of you and cupped your face in his gloved hands. “MC may I do something?” You nodded, and he took off his gloves and placed his bare hands back onto your face. A blanket of calm and peace engulfed you, opening your eyes to see Simeon heart brokenly staring back at you with tears streaming down his beautiful face. “I’m so sorry, little Lamb” he croaked out. You worriedly start fussing over the angel, “hey, hey, hey, it hurts like a son of a bitch right now but I’ll be okay, things are going to be okay.” He smiled at you devastation still lurking in his eyes, he turned to stop looking you in the eyes. “I seen everything.”

 Your heart stopped.

“What do you mean everything?” Your throat dry and burning.

“Every experience you’ve ever had and the emotions with it.” Solomon said over his shoulder while mixing ingredients.

“Everything.” Simeon picking you up and wrapping his arms around you.

“I should be the sorry one, Simeon.” You whimpered into his chest, hugging him back.

Simeon pulled you away from him, fierceness blooming in his eyes and soft voice.

“It wasn’t your fault, it was never your fault.” Pulling you back into his warm, comforting chest.

You began to sob while he held you and stroked your hair.

#obey me beelzebub #obey me angst #obey me solomon #obey me shall we date #obey me #obey me simeon #obey me belphegor #obey me beel #obey me belphie #om! beelzebub #om! simeon #om! solomon #om! belphegor #om! belphie #om! beel #beezlebub x reader #obey me beel x mc #solomon x reader #belphegorobeyme #Belphie om! #shall we date solomon #shall we date belphegor #shall we date beelzebub #shall we date simeon #beelzebub x mc #obeyme #dbtb #Demons bleed too bitch

[the-hopeless-haze]

Someone to Pull You Up Short, to Put You Through Hell (Being Alive Chapter 6)

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A/N: Okay this is over 8k words. Sorry? But it’s got everything: angst, fluff, smut... so there’s a reason this got away from me. This is also my submission to @thefanficfaerie​ ‘s DW quote challenge: I had #49 “Never trust a hug. It’s just a way to hide your face.” 

CW: Smut as aforementioned. This is NSFW!

Where the hell had you been hiding that dress? It was a simple green number that clung tantalizingly close to the curve of your breasts and waist, and then flared slightly to rest at a slightly inappropriate length, halfway down your thigh, about three or four inches of fabric past your ass. Rafael would definitely question taking you home to his mother in a skirt that short. It was strange, seeing you wear this because you often dressed conservatively. Hell, Liv showed more cleavage than you did on a day to day to basis.

But your legs in that dress, lengthened by a simple pair of black heeled sandals... his breath caught in his throat as you walked into the bar with Carisi and he never was able to fully exhale because you kept flitting around, barely paying attention to him. And it was hell, watching you play pool with Carisi against Nick and Amanda, Carisi’s body flush against yours as he helped you set up your shot.

“You okay, there, Rafael?” Liv asks.

“Mm,” he responds, barely looking at her, eyeing you across the bar. You were taunting Amanda; he could tell by your facial expression as she was setting up her cue stick. He’s pulled up short by how young you look; god, you really were a kid compared to him, weren’t you?

“I know the verdict didn’t go the way any of us wanted it to,” she says, but his mind is so far removed from anything that might have happened at the courthouse today. “But try to relax.”

“I’m relaxed,” he murmurs. Figures she would think he was tense because of work. A few months ago, that would’ve been what was running through his mind while he nursed his drink. But now, work stayed at the courthouse and his office because he had you to put him through hell when he was outside of it.

“Sure,” Olivia says sarcastically, but she follows his gaze, and his pulse quickens once she sees that you’re right in the line of it. “You squeeze that glass any tighter and it’s going to break.”

Rafael sighs, looking down at the glass of scotch in his hand. He downs the rest of it, rolling his eyes.

“(Y/n) looks nice tonight, hmm?” Olivia asks, a glint in her brown eyes that makes him wonder if feigning innocence is even worth it.

“She always looks nice,” he says, deciding to play into it since he had no other cards left. But you don’t look “nice”, you look fucking delicious, and “nice” is an understatement if there ever was one. Anyone in this bar would think going home with you was akin to winning the lottery.

But you’d go home with him, at the end of the night, or at least... he thinks.

You’re still leaning against Carisi even though there’s no real reason to now, and he tries not to think of how much sense you two would make as a couple but ultimately fails. Sure, Carisi had never been married either, but he was also almost ten years younger than Rafael. He was taller, fitter, maybe more attractive, and he was a detective and there was no sticky situation with the DA that would have to be sorted out if you two got serious. The two of you were always attached at the hip whenever he stops by the precinct, but now you’re attached by more than even that, what with hands on shoulders and backs pressed against chests.

As a complete shock to absolutely no one, you and Carisi end up losing the game of pool and have to buy the next round. You were tipsier than he’d ever seen you, your face flushed from the copious amounts of alcohol in your system. Amanda, the awful influence she is, evidently talked you into doing shots with her earlier in the evening, and you kept sucking down cocktails afterward.

Rafael himself is feeling the effects of the scotch more tonight. He’s honestly lost count of how many he’s had, and seeing you in that dress had him inebriated already, but he’s feeling particularly woozy and melancholy as you come back over with another old fashioned, the amber liquid sloshing around in the glass. You slide in the booth next to him, maybe a little too close for appearances’ sake. Carisi sidles in after you, saying something in your ear that you laugh loudly at.

“I don’t think he’d appreciate it,” you say. Were you two talking about him? Son of a bitch.

“I think we should order an appetizer,” Olivia says, her tone concerned. “You need to sober up a little, (y/n).”

“I’m fine,” you protest.

“You could barely walk over here,” Rafael says, and you raise an eyebrow. “You either have to eat something or slow down.”

“Okay, Padre,” you snicker. “What do you suggest we get, then?”

“I’ve been dying for a quesadilla,” Rollins says before Rafael can answer. “I’ll split one with you.”

“Deal.”

Rafael is startled when he feels your foot against his. Then he thinks his heart might stop as you slide upward, past his ankle, your toes getting caught in the hem of his dress pants to touch the bare skin of his calf. Were you really going to do this here? He catches your eyes and he knows by the glint in them that yes, yes you were. If this night wasn’t hell already...

Your hand comes to his knee, and you’re nodding at something Nick just said, biting into your quesadilla. And your hand slides higher up his left thigh, halfway, before sliding back down to his knee. You do this a couple more times, tantalizing slow, your hand coming up a little higher each time before it makes its descent.

Just as your hand reaches the apex of his thigh, he grabs it and pulls it away. The last thing he needs is a hard-on in front of all of SVU, and while he’d need a little more attention to get there it was best to stop you while you were ahead. Your lips form a devilish smirk as you sip from your glass, but you take the hint and keep your hands to yourself.

Rafael will be damned if you think you’re the only one allowed to play, and if it weren’t for the few drinks loosening him up he would’ve never even thought about it, but your legs in that dress... tentatively, he takes his left hand and places it on your right knee, squeezing tight enough to leave the imprint of his fingers and he edges up against the soft skin of your thigh until he reaches the hem of your skirt, and then travels back down, copying your ministrations from earlier. You don’t stop him as he rides the fabric up a little the next time his hand meets your inner thigh, his fingertips touching the hemline of your panties, and his breath catches in his throat not for the first time that night. You were wet. You couldn’t seriously want him to do this? Not here? Rafael had never been an exhibitionist but he’d be a goddamn liar if he said this wasn’t turning him on. Ultimately, he errs on the side of caution. He wasn’t going to take advantage of you when you were this drunk and he isn’t exactly thrilled at the idea of giving Carisi a free show, either. Rafael cannot wait to get the fuck out of this bar.

The conversation splits into fragments, Olivia and Rollins chatting about some new store that opened up while Fin and Amaro rehash the case again. Neither discussion sounds particularly interesting to Rafael, and he turns to you, but you’re deep in a tête-à-tête with Carisi.

“You’re the best partner I’ve had, (y/n),” Carisi says.

“Mm. You too.”

“You just saying that, doll?”

You giggle. “No.”

“I mean it, though. I’ve had bad luck with partners... and squads.”

“Poor baby.”

He chuckles, rubbing your arm and pulling you closer to him. “Not anymore. Manhattan’s a good fit. We've got a good squad here, a good ADA, and you. Best pardna in the world."

"Aww, you're too sweet," you slur.

“No one’s as sweet as you, doll.”

You crinkle your nose and laugh. “Does that ever work, Sonny?”

“Sometimes,” he chuckles. “It doesn’t work on you?”

“You wish,” you tease. “But no.”

“Anyway...Nah, I mean, you saw it. No one liked me when I first got here except you.”

"It was because of the mustache.”

"Now you're being mean."

"Sorry, baby, but you know that mustache was awful.”

“Okay. Maybe. But... all my other partners, I mean, not that it lasted long, but none of them ever wanted to talk to me and got aggravated with me. You and I, though? We’re the dream team. And I just want you to know I really appreciate you.”

“I appreciate you, too, honey. So much," you say and you press your lips against the side of Carisi's mouth. You would’ve kissed him on the lips if you weren’t so drunk that you missed.

The hell you have condemned him to now is ultimately ten times worse than the hell he'd put himself through earlier. Before it was only speculation, but now? That was it. You were going to leave him. Of course you would. That’s how the story always went from the start, and that’s how you would go, too. Instead of Alex, you’d leave him for Carisi, and he’d have to spend every day a living hell, watching the two of you at the precinct the same way he had to watch Alex and Yelina together. Who was he to think you would be any different?

Carisi's face reddens in the dim light of the bar and he laughs. "Jesus, someone needs to tap you out, huh?"

“Probably,” you slur, nestling yourself against his shoulder. “I can’t remember the last time I drank this much.”

“No more then.”

“Whatever you say, honey,” you murmur, and you kiss his cheek again, the print of your lipstick visible on Carisi’s face.

Rafael can’t stand it anymore, can’t stand the way the two of you are already all over each other. Couldn’t you have talked to him first before you decided you wanted to drape yourself on another man? Even Yelina had that decency!

If he thought he disliked Carisi before, he hates the man now as he kisses the top of your head, smiling down at you.

“I’m calling it a night,” Rafael announces abruptly, standing up just as quickly, grabbing his suit jacket and his briefcase. “Goodnight, all of you.”

Just as he reaches the door, Rollins catches him by the shoulder. “Aren’t you going to make sure your girlfriend gets home safe, Barba?”

What, were you going to send Amanda over to add insult to injury now? Fuck this. He’s far too old to be playing these games, and he should’ve fucking known better to get involved with you.

“Fuck off,” he snaps. “You know she’s not my girlfriend.”

“Hostile, much? Bet you wish she was,” she teases.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “What do you want?”

“Listen, it’s just... you live the closest to (y/n), right?” Amanda asks, knowing damn well that’s not the case. “Well... you know she’s had a few more than she should have. So could you please take her home?”

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, he sighs and nods. He can’t be that much of an asshole even if he’s hurt right now. “Alright. I’ll get us a cab.”

“Thank you, Barba. Been a real pleasure,” she says, smiling brightly. “Keep your hands to yourself, though. She probably won’t remember it tomorrow.”

He steps out into the humid August night, a slight breeze in the air indicating fall was on the way. Irritation seeps through his veins as multiple cabs drive by that he could’ve caught, but you must have been too busy giving your goodbyes to your new lover. Jesus Christ, could Rafael be any more self-pitying? It was time to start getting over you and start getting used to the sentence of being single again.

You head out a few minutes later, stumbling in your heels. He catches you but maintains a distance. His only goal was to get you home because even though he hates you right now, he hates the thought of what could happen to you inebriated in this city at this hour more. You were already a file on someone’s desk. He didn’t want you to be one on his.

You smile widely up at him, your eyes glassy as marbles, and you kiss him full on the lips. He doesn’t kiss back, only shrugs you off him, heading toward the street and hailing a cab.

“Rafi, baby, why don’t you wanna kiss me?” you whine. “Wanted to kiss you all night. Want your hands all over me. Remember earlier? Please, baby.”

“You were kissing someone else,” he snaps harshly.

“What? No, I wasn’t,” you say, furrowing your brow, swaying a little.

“I refuse to believe you’re that drunk that you don’t remember what happened minutes ago,” he says as a cab pulls over. Rafael opens the door. “Get in.”

“No, honey, what are you talking about? I didn’t kiss anyone. Don’t wanna kiss anyone but you,” you say, crossing your arms over your chest. The cab driver tsks, rolling his eyes.

“Get in the goddamn cab, (y/n),” Rafael says sternly. “You need to go home. We’re done.”

You don’t say anything, but he sees your face fall as you nod and oblige, staggering into the backseat of the cab. Rafael follows, closing the door behind him, telling the driver your address. It’s silent for a few moments until you turn to him. He can’t make out much in the muted lighting of the cab but he knows you’re on the brink of tears; your lower lip trembles and your eyes are glassier than they were outside the bar. “Rafi, baby, ‘m sorry. I don’ know what I did but I'm sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“Like you don’t know what you did! You were all over Carisi all night!” he barks, and he’s startled by how guilty he feels when you finally do break out into hysterical tears. He’d known you were drunk, sure, but maybe you really were that intoxicated that you didn’t know why he was upset until now.

“Sonny and I are friends, Rafi. I don’t want to be with him. I only want to be with you,” you stutter in between sobs, grabbing his collar. “I’m sorry for...whatever you thought, but it’s not like that.”

There you are again, tugging on heartstrings he didn’t know he had as you tug on the fabric of his shirt. The pang in his chest now tells him no, that you weren’t done even if he wanted nothing more than to escape this hell you were putting him through. “Can you stop?” he says gently. “Stop crying. Shh.”

“But you’re mad at me,” you whine. “I don’t want you to be mad.”

“Then why would you do that?”

“I don’t know! I didn’t wanna pay too much attention to you because you don’t want them to know about us.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to make out with Carisi!”

“I didn’t. I know I would never do that. I love... I love being with you, Rafi, honey, and I don’t wanna hurt you.”

You sniffle and try to stop crying, snuggling against him the way he ached for you to at the bar. Ultimately he’s struck by how much you care and how much he cares in return. For all his talk of not wanting to get too close he sure as hell didn’t like the idea of you getting close to anyone else, either. And living like that wasn’t fair to either of you, was it? He’s reached an impasse. Either he has to stop keeping you at a distance or stop keeping you at all.

“Do you really wanna end it? Please don’t. I’m sorry. Please, Rafi,” you beg.

“You kissed him,” Rafael says irritably.

“Oh really? You’re acting like I fucked him in front of the whole bar. I kissed his cheek!”

“So you do remember.”

“But I don’t understand why you’re that mad! It doesn’t mean anything! We’re just friends!”

“Like I’ve never heard that one before,” he scoffs. “What were you trying to do? Hm? Make me jealous? Well, you can fuck right off with that, (y/n).”

“I wouldn’t do that! Why are you being such a jerk, Rafael?”

“Why are you acting like a goddamn child?” he asks and immediately regrets it as you start crying again. You’re not uncontrollable anymore, but you’re clearly hurt and you shrug away from him.

“I’m drunk and so are you,” you hiss. “So maybe we shouldn’t talk until the morning before we say more things we can’t take back.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” he sighs tiredly.

Despite arguing professionally, Rafael could never win interpersonal spats, so he stopped trying. And some of his partners took it as if he didn’t bother to argue, then he didn’t truly care. One time his mother told him, “Buena suerte, mi hijo, if you think you can find somebody that doesn’t put you through hell,” after he’d ended yet another fling because they’d gotten into a fight Rafael didn’t see the point in resolving. Why should he make himself miserable because she felt slighted? Why should he have to apologize for saying words in anger that he obviously didn’t mean? Why should he have to give up any of his comforts for the other person? Why should you have to fight at all? Little disagreements were fine, he’d had those with you about cases and such, but there was no harm done in those. You both got over them and kissed and made up. But here and now, you were both hurt by each other’s words and actions, and there were tally marks etched on the chalkboard for a score to be kept between the two of you. Who would come out the victor? One of you would win, and the other would have to lick their wounds.

He’d seen it so many times before, his mother cowering down in front of his father, admitting fault and crying to herself as she did laundry or cooked. She always took the blame, even though he clearly was at fault in being the aggressor.

Suddenly, he realizes with horror that he is taking the role of his father in this situation. How many times had his father come home drunk, reeking of beer and cigarettes, hurling baseless accusations at his mother that she had been sleeping around? One time he had even asked if Rafael was his own son, which, nice try—Rafael was the spitting image of the elder Barba—but how different was Rafael right now? What was Rafael doing now other than fabricating stories in his head and reading more into looks and touches than he should have?

Jesus, he was far too drunk himself to be thinking about this now. All he wants is to go home.

But you don’t let him.

He walks you up to your apartment, and you leave the door open. “Please come in,” you say. “I don’t wanna talk tonight. Please just come to bed.”

“But—“

“Don’t argue with me anymore tonight. Save it for tomorrow,” you whine, slipping out of your heels, damn near falling until he catches you. “I don’t care what you say to me, Rafael, but I’m telling you neither of us is leaving. What we have is too good and you know it. No one’s going anywhere, honey. So come to bed. We'll figure it out tomorrow."

What a series of bold statements coming from the mouth that drank half her weight in liquor. He’s dumbfounded by how confident you are in them, but he supposes maybe it’s the alcohol itself that's giving you this unshakeable nerve.

Rafael can't help it, and he tightens his grip on your waist and kisses you harshly, tasting the sweetness of the orange and bitterness of the whiskey and the hints of salsa on your tongue as one of his hands threads in your hair. "You're mine," he growls.

"When did I ever say I wanted to be anyone else's?"

That's right, you hadn't. He’d only assumed, like the complete asshole he is.

-----

The light from your bedroom window bleeds in, waking Rafael up hours before he wanted to. It wasn’t often he had a Saturday he could sleep in and usually he took advantage of it, but your apartment is far too warm and he can't stay asleep. Memories of last night come back in fragments, and if the aching of his head is any indication, he had a few more than he should have last night. By the time you wake up, he's worried himself into oblivion. Were you going to smarten up and leave him?

“Mm. Good morning,” you say, looking up at him. “I’m never drinking again.”

Rafael chuckles. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Don’t talk so loud,” you whine.

“Do you...remember last night?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah. Are you still mad at me?”

“A little. But I’d understand if you were mad at me too. And I—“

“Okay. No. I need coffee first.”

“Mm. Woman after my own heart,” he says, and you smile, but it doesn’t quite meet your eyes. Had he already lost you?

You’re still clad in that goddamn dress as you get up, but it’s lost the glitter and glamor from last night, as now it’s wrinkled and askew, the fabric clinging to your right hip and giving him a peek of your ass before you pull it down on your way to open your bedroom door. You might be the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, even though you’re hungover, even though you have mascara tear-stained under your eyes, even though you’re both upset with each other. And isn’t that worth holding onto, even if you had your own circle of hell reserved just for him?

After both of you clean yourselves up a little, you’re brewing coffee and swallowing pills to relieve the aching in your heads. You lean against your counter, and Rafael stands awkwardly in the middle of your kitchen, stealing glances at you when he thinks you’re not looking.

“Okay. So talk,” you say, handing him a mug when the coffee is done.

“I suppose I should apologize,” he says, sipping his coffee, wincing at the acidity. "My accusations were out of line. But you can’t be hanging off Carisi if we're going to do this. I'm not watching that.”

“Hanging off Sonny? Really?”

Rafael rolls his eyes. “What do you call it, then?”

“I was...maybe a tad more affectionate than was appropriate, Rafael, I’ll give you that. But Sonny’s my partner, honey. And I’m not going to stop being friends with him because it makes you uncomfortable that we’re that close.”

“I didn’t say that, did I? I’m not going to control that. But cool it with the kissing, okay? And you leaning up against him all the time, the flirting, all that bullshit? You’re not single just because they don’t know about us.”

You look at him, stunned. “I didn’t know you cared that much.”

“What?”

“You always seem so distant. I really didn’t think you got jealous like that,” you say, shrugging.

“I’m not jealous,” he scoffs. “I just don’t think that’s appropriate.”

“Mm.”

“You’re leading him on whether you realize it or not,” Rafael says. “So cut it out.”

“I am not leading him on, Rafael! Jesus Christ. You’re friends with Olivia. I don’t say shit.”

“Last time I checked I didn’t kiss her and drape myself all over her last night, did I?”

“Well, whatever. To be fair, I think we both know I wouldn't have been so affectionate if I was sober. I get like that when I'm drunk," you say, your face flushing. "I'd have kissed Amanda too if I was sitting near her.”

"Maybe you shouldn't drink so much, then."

"Maybe not. Trust me, I'm feeling it right now."

"I bet you are."

You grimace, rolling your eyes as you gulp your coffee. “Why did you have to go there, though? Threaten to end it? Jesus, I know you were drunk, too, but... that was completely unfair.”

"I know,” Rafael says, sighing. “I just...”

"Why can't you just admit that you hurt, Rafi?" you ask suddenly.

"W-what?" he stutters. "What does that even mean?"

"I know I don't know all your ex-lovers' names or even how many there are. And I don't need to know. But I know it wasn't just Yelina that hurt you and you need to stop letting that get in the way of us. I haven’t left yet. I’m still here. Rafael, I'm begging you: can you stop thinking of all the ways this can go wrong and just let it be? Jesus, I can feel the pounding in your head sometimes. You need to relax. Entiendes?”

“(Y/n)... I...” he trails off, at a loss for words.

“You don’t have to say anything. Come here,” you say, and you put your coffee down, hugging him tightly. “I know where all of that came from last night, and I get it. You’re in pain; anyone can see that, Rafi. But I’m not going to be punished for crimes I didn’t commit.”

“Of course not,” he murmurs as you pull away. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’re forgiven. Just relax, honey.”

Rafael reaches back for you, hugging you close, not so much because he needs the support but so you don’t see how close he is to tears. It’s something his abuelo used to say, something Rafael never quite understood when he was little: “Never trust a hug. It’s just a way to hide your face.”

Sure, he was mostly joking when he said it, because one of Rafael’s younger cousins, Néstor, was infamous for stealing jewelry from his abuelita, and he’d always hug his accuser so they didn’t see his guilty smirk. But in hindsight, he thinks maybe his grandfather was also warning him about his mother’s favorite defense mechanism - whenever Rafael asked about the screaming between her and his father, she’d give him the tightest hugs, and he’d hear her sniffling in his ear, but he never did see her cry.

Well. He understands it perfectly well now, because god forbid you see him this emotional over this. Rafael still isn’t used to this tenderness - is this what being loved feels like? It’s been so long, he doesn’t remember. Or maybe this was this just a conniving way for you to put him through hell? Get him to trust you, maybe even love you, only to pull the rug out from under his feet?

Could you really be that cruel?

“Rafi, you okay?” your voice cuts through; like it always does.

“I’m fine,” he murmurs, but he doesn’t let you go until the heat behind his eyes fades, until he can make himself force a smile.

——

You are a fucking tease. He wonders how any man ever put up with it, although he thinks he may be the first man you reserved this torture for, and maybe he should be more flattered, that you feel this comfortable with him. But this? This was the very definition of cruelty. Apparently what you had done at the bar had only been a prequel to the hell you had in store for him.

He wants to quit his job if only to get away from you. He doesn't think he can handle it anymore.

You’d said that when you were ready to have sex, he’d know. Never in a million years did he think this was what you meant.

"You have sauce on your tie," you tell him as you're walking up to the courthouse. "I have that stain remover stuff in my purse. Let me take care of it."

"Oh, no, I know better than that," he laughs, but it's really not funny at all. "I have to present my case in fifteen minutes."

"That's enough time," you protest. "Come on, you really want to go up there with tomato sauce on your tie?"

He rolls his eyes, stopping you short by gripping your upper arm. "Given the choice between a stain and a raging hard-on, I'll take the stain," he growls in your ear. "I'm not playing your game today."

"Rafi..." you whine, and he hates you. He thought whining would be a turnoff, would be too juvenile but fuck, it goes right through him and shoves him right through the gates of hell, where he belongs. “Who said anything about that? I was just going to help you. Didn’t know you got excited from stain removal. I’ll bring you my laundry if you ever want to do it.”

"Shut up," he chastises, then looks down at his...spotless tie. He doesn't know what he expected. "Nice fabrication."

"I wasn't under oath," you say, blushing a little. He remembers the last time you'd told a little white lie a week ago, told him his suspenders weren't fastened correctly, and under the guise of helping him you'd gotten him completely riled, like he was twenty years younger, kissing him and feeling him up until he damn near took you on the couch in his office.

And then you left.

What the hell kind of game were you playing?

“I’m still charging you with perjury,” he snaps back, still holding your arm. “What was your plan, hm?”

“I plead the fifth,” you say, a brilliant grin playing on your strawberry lips. He wants to kiss you so bad, it takes all his strength not to.

“Of course you do, niñita.”

“I’m no little girl,” you say, stepping closer. He’s all too aware the two of you are outside the courthouse and the last thing he needs is for press or defense to see the two of you. He’s thankful he’s not on a high profile case.

“No, maybe not. But you’re definitely a bad one,” he says, letting go of your arm.

“Well, maybe you’ll have to punish me, papi,” you whisper, and then you’re leaning up to kiss him. A shiver runs down his spine - who had ever been able to get a reaction out of him like that? - and he damn near ravishes you right there.

But he can’t. He has five minutes now.

He pulls away, reluctantly, taking your hands from his shoulders and squeezing them in his own. “You’re awful,” he mutters, looking into your eyes. “Straight from the womb of Lilith.”

“Ooh. You wound me,” you say sarcastically as he lets you go and starts walking up the courthouse steps. You follow, and once you get to the courtroom you say, “Go get em, tigre.” And then you wink, straightening his tie.

“Do you ever stop, mujer?” he asks, exasperated.

“No rest for the wicked,” you snicker, pecking him on the lips.

He hates you so goddamn much.

---

“I’m working, (y/n),” Rafael mutters.

“You’re always working. You shouldn’t have taken on that other A.D.A.’s cases too. You deserve a break, honey. Let me give you one,” you say, moving closer to press your lips to his jaw. “We don’t have to go out tonight. I can cook something later.”

“What did I buy that dress for then, hmm?” Rafael wasn’t exactly in the habit of gifting things, but after seeing you in that green dress he decided you needed one like that in every color, and he started with a deep red number that he left by the door for you when you walked in his apartment. And, just like the green one, it caught his eye and pulled him from his work whenever you so much as moved.

“I think it’d look better on the floor,” you murmur. “Don’t you?”

“You’re killing me, (y/n),” he groans as he meets your eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I told you not to question me, Rafael—“

“Yes. I know. But I still want your consent.”

“So you are going to stop working?” you purr.

He chuckles. “You let me finish this paragraph and I’ll give you the attention you so clearly crave.”

“How long is that going to take, hm?”

“A lot longer if you keep talking,” Rafael snarks.

“Fine,” you say, and he foolishly thinks that is that, but you have other ideas, as always. Your lips attach to his jaw again, and normally he’d be able to work through that, but one of your hands slips down to stroke his thigh and he can’t even remember who this fucking email was for, never mind what it was about.

“You know it isn’t funny, right?” he asks, glaring at you.

“What, Rafi?” you ask, feigning innocence.

“Teasing me like that,” he says, finally closing the computer and placing it on the end table. He grabs you by the waist and pulls you on top of him, relishing in your squeal of surprise.

You laugh, squirming against his grip on you. He doesn’t let you get away, and pulls you down to kiss you roughly, his tongue dragging against yours as his hands tangle in your hair.

“You’re an awful woman.”

“Mm...so you’ve said,” you say, looking up at him, lust-blown pupils so wide that only a thin ring of iris can be seen. “What are you going to do about it?”

He doesn’t say anything, just kisses you deeply, again and again, moaning softly as he thrusts his clothed cock against you. “Mm, feel me? That’s what you’ve done to me all week.”

“What about what you do to me, papi?” You whimper. “How am I supposed to control myself, mm?”

“Talk about it,” he says, running his hands over your breasts. “Tell me, niñita, and maybe I’ll go easy on you. Make me a deal, cariño.”

“Mm. Love when you talk to me in Spanish,” you say huskily, leaning down to kiss him, trailing down his neck. “Mm, and then when you’re concentrating, you’ll cross your arms across your chest, and your sleeves are rolled up, and mm, all the muscles in your forearms flex, and I can see the veins in your hands bulge as you click your pen open and closed. Amanda makes fun of me for staring, but how can I help it, papi? And don’t even get me started on the suspenders, mm, love to pull on them when we’re alone in your office. Love when you kiss me like I’m your last meal on death row.”

He meets your eyes as you lift your head back up, groaning softly. God, hearing you put a voice to it... and then he kisses you just like that, letting go of any reservations he once had, his hands pulling up your dress as he rolls his hips against yours. “Mm, you’ve been a bad girl, though,” he whispers against your lips. “Letting them know you stare when we’re supposed to be working...”

“I can’t help it, papi,” you say pitifully, trying to grind against him and ultimately failing due to his grip on you.

He chuckles, pecking your lips. “So what do you want? I’ll give you whatever you want if you plead guilty.”

“Guilty to what?”

“Oh, you know what,” he says, running his hands over your now-bare thighs, squeezing your ass lightly, earning a moan from you. “Being a tease. Pulling me up short when I’m trying to work and putting me through hell with teasing me all week. What's your plea, niñita? We both know you're guilty, but I need you to admit it."

"Mm, and if I don't?" you ask, starting to unbutton his suit jacket before he takes your hands in one of his to stop you.

"Then I bring you back to your place."

“You drive a hard bargain, counselor,” you say, drawing your bottom lip in between your teeth. “Mm. I plead guilty to being so attractive that my boyfriend can’t keep his dirty hands off me when we’re supposed to be working,” you tease, smiling cheekily. You were like him, in some ways, sometimes, that brass ego shining through. Rafael knows more than anyone, though, that brass egos always serve to cover up deeper insecurities.

He laughs, drawing himself back to the present, kissing up your jawline to your ear, only to whisper, “Not what I said. Now, do you want me to fuck you or not?”

Your whole body shudders against him, and you suck in a breath as he sucks at your pulse point, your heartbeat racing wildly against his tongue. “Fine. I plead guilty to being a tease. Now for god’s sake, do something else, Rafi,” you whine. “Wanna feel you. Want you to make me feel good.”

“I think we need a change in location,” he says, more to himself than you, and carries you off to the bedroom, flicking on the light before laying you on the bed gently. You were a vision, that tight scarlet dress bundled up at your hips, giving him a peek of the black panties you wore underneath. He takes his suit jacket off, kicks off his shoes, staring at you the whole time. You stare back, blushing at the intensity of his gaze.

"Rafi," you whine. "Come over here."

He laughs. "Miss me already?"

"Need you."

"Well..you can't have these heels on my bed," he says, helping you take them off and then massaging up your legs until his hands are at the precipice of your thighs, your breathing rate audibly increasing as he reaches higher.

"Rafi. Please," you groan as he makes eye contact with you, starting to kiss back down all the skin he just touched. "Who's the tease now?"

"Oh, absolutely still you."

"Objection."

He chuckles against your thigh. "Yeah. See, the difference is I'm going to come back up here and give you what you want. You just leave after you rile me up."

"I had to go back to work,” you protest.

“Mm.”

“Are you actually mad at me? I can stop—“

“Oh, don’t you dare stop,” he says, kissing back up your other leg. “I get splitting headaches, and the interruptions help some.”

“Yeah, the aching goes somewhere else, huh?”

He chuckles. “Guess you could say that.”

“I didn’t want... I didn’t want the first time we had sex to be in the office,” you say. “I’m sorry if that’s what you thought—“

“No, I understand,” he nods, coming back up to kiss you on the lips gently. “I get it. I don’t want to pressure you. I don’t feel like I’m owed anything. Okay?”

“Okay,” you say, kissing him again. “I want to, now, though.”

“Ask and ye shall receive, princesa,” he says, riding up your dress even more to reveal a few inches of your stomach, kissing down to the hemline of your panties before taking them off. “Hermosa,” he breathes, staring at your pussy, already visibly slick from arousal. “Is it okay if I go down on you?”

“By all means,” you say. “If you want to.”

“Of course I want to,” he murmurs.

His tongue delves in, tasting you for the first time. You’re quiet at first, tentative, but as he starts to eat you out the way he kisses you: like a man on death row, as you had quipped, your moans become a chorus to edge him on. He teases you too, purposefully moving away from spots you’re more vocal at, only to be met by your fingers running through his hair and pulling at him, in any attempt to get him back over there. He can’t help but let out soft moans every time you pull hard. His hands reach up to squeeze your hips, and every so often he’ll look up to see your chest heaving, your face flushed. Sometimes your eyes would flutter close as you’d let out a moan, tugging at his hair. He can feel strands against his forehead - you’d broken through the gel he’d put in this morning. “(Y/n),” he grunts, slipping two fingers into you as his tongue swirls around your clit. “Mm, tan dulce...such a pretty cunt. Who are you so wet for? Hm?”

“Ohhhhh, fuck,” you moan, rolling your hips in a vain attempt to ride his fingers. “I think you can make a pretty good guess.”

“No,” he growls. “Tell me. Or I’ll stop.”

And to prove his point, he does - and he knows he’s being mean, verging on cruel, but there’s something about the way you’ve teased him all week that makes him think you’ll respond in kind to his edging. Besides, seeing you beg for him? His cock swells at the mere thought, never mind you actually doing it.

“Rafi, I was so close,” you whine.

“Then be a good girl and tell me who brought you there,” he whispers, his lips searing hot against your hipbone as he pulls his fingers out of you slowly.

“Fuck, fuck, it’s you, Rafael. Only you,” you say desperately, evidently realizing he’s serious. “Please. Please don’t stop.”

“Mm. Buena niña,” he murmurs, and with that he plunges his fingers back into your heat, pressing the pad of his thumb to your clit. “Didn’t take long for you to beg. Such a good girl, (y/n), just for me.”

You whimper, rolling your hips. “Need your tongue. Please.”

Rafael chuckles, but he obliges, swirling his tongue around your clit again and again as he scissors his fingers in and out of you.

“Rafi—I— I’m close,” you choke out as his tongue flicks over your clit a few times in quick succession.

“Good girl. Come for me,” he says, and he knows you’ve let go once your legs start shaking and your hand clenches into a fist in his hair. He laps up whatever you give him, his tongue licking broad strokes, and he has half a mind to think he brought you over the edge again.

Once he’s done, he comes back to kiss you, his tongue against yours, and you moan at the taste of yourself from his lips. “Rafi. Want you.”

“Fucking insatiable,” he chuckles. “Mm. Then why don’t you undress me?”

You reach up and make quick work of his tie, but the buttons on his waistcoat prove to be more difficult. “Oh my god, Rafi, I’m going to rip this fucking thing. You had to wear a three-piece today?”

“If you rip this, I’ll never speak to you again,” he says, half-kidding. “Maybe if you calmed down... what do you need?”

“I want to be good for you,” you murmur. “I don’t have the kind of experience you have and I—“

“Are you fucking serious right now?” he cuts you off and grabs your hand, placing it on his clothed, swollen cock. “You feel what you do to me even when you’re fumbling with my clothes?”

Your tongue darts out to lick your lips, as you keep eye contact with him and palm him through his pants, and he groans, pulling you on his lap and kissing you, harder than he thinks he’s kissed anyone in his life, or at least anyone recently. He finishes the buttons on his vest and unclips his suspenders, kissing you the whole time, and he helps you lift your dress over your head, unclasping your bra and cupping your breasts in his palms, running his thumbs over your nipples, relishing in how you shuddered at his touch. You help him shrug his dress shirt off his shoulders, and he lifts your hips to push two of his fingers in you. You whimper in his ear, probably still sensitive from coming so soon before.

“You still have too many clothes on, Rafi,” you protest, running your hands up his undershirt. God, your hands were smoldering against his chest. He doesn’t say anything as you pull the fabric of the shirt up. He knows he’s under your mercy now, and if he’s being honest, he likes the constant relinquishing and then gaining of control more than he thought he would.

Your hands run over his nipples a little too long, causing his breath to catch, and he tries not to let out a moan but he ultimately fails. You noticed everything, anyway. He would’ve been found out at some point.

“Mm? You like that?”

He nods wordlessly, and you lift the shirt over his head.

“Help me get those pants off you and I’ll give you what you want, papi,” you purr in his ear.

"What I want is to be in you,” he murmurs, as you pull down the zipper and unbutton them. Rafael places you on the bed gently, deciding to take them off himself and his boxers follow suit.

"What the hell, Rafael?" you ask, blushing.

"What?" he asks, suddenly self-concious.

"L-like no one ever told you that you’re packing," you stammer. "Now I know where that ego comes from."

"Shut up, (y/n)," he laughs, relaxing a little, and comes to lie down next to you again, kissing you gently, his cock throbbing painfully with anticipation. Then, you run your hands over his chest again, and pinch his nipples lightly, and he's a mess, moaning your name, running his hands up and down your waist as he comes to lie on his back.

"Mm, now I know what to do to get what I want," you giggle, your hair falling in your face and -- oh, your tongue swirls over his left one and every nerve ending in his body is on fire. This, the culmination to the hell week, it might be too much. He might actually die right here.

"(Y/n), please," he begs.

"What?" you ask, moving your mouth to the other nipple and your hand moves down to his cock, stroking him gently.

"You need--oh fuck, (y/n), fuck,” he pants. Not many coherent thoughts run through his head at this point.

"Words, Rafael," you say, your voice lowering an octave.

"I-- you need to stop, (y/n). Too good. Need to be in you now or I won't last," he chokes out.

You oblige. "We'll save that for another day," you chuckle, lying down next to him. "How do you want me?"

"Too many ways to count. But... do you want to ride me?”

“Sure, but you need to help me out first. It’s been a while,” you say, blushing.

"Anything you need," he says gently, motioning for you to lie on your back, his tip teasing at your clit before he pushes himself into you, a few inches and you're already whimpering. "You good?"

"Yeah. You can keep going."

Your hair is splayed across his pillow, your breasts tantalize him with each breath...god, he was never going to be able to get this sight out of his head. He's stopped short for a moment, looking at you. You look up at him and smile, and he smiles back, an intimacy there that’s maybe unprecedented.

It takes a few minutes before he bottoms out fully, your walls quivering against him.

“Mm, fuck, Rafi,” you moan, running your fingers over his nipples again, bucking your hips against his. His lips attach to your neck, sucking gently on your left side, careful not to leave a mark. “Help me get on top.”

He does as you say, and you’re tentative at first, needing some encouragement from him, but your body knows what it’s doing. He’s so horny and strung out from the week that anything could bring him over the edge.

It’s his fucking nipples that threaten to do it again, though, and he knows they’re going to be sore tomorrow from all your rough ministrations. He never had a woman be so enthusiastic about playing with them before, and it’s just another way you drive him absolutely insane.

“(Y/n), fuck!” he groans. “You have to stop.”

You pout, drawing your hands away from him, quickening your pace. He leans forward to press his thumb against your clit, eliciting his name from your lips over and over again.

“Mm. Take my cock so well, bebita, mm, buena niña,” he says under his breath. “Such a good girl for me. Mm. Come on. Get off on my cock.”

He meets you thrust for thrust now, and he can feel it before you can, your walls tighten against him, and in seconds he has you flipped over, driving into you brutally from that angle as you fall apart, high-pitched moans and heavy breaths falling from your kiss-bruised lips.

The clenching of your walls is enough to drive him over the edge, and he bites at your shoulder without thinking, the feeling too much as he spills himself into you. “Such a good girl,” he whispers, kissing and licking at the bite mark. “Mm... fuck.”

"Mm, try not to think about that when we're at work," you laugh and he groans, flopping down on the mattress, his face pressing into the pillow.

"You are going to be the death of me, cariño," Rafael says, laughing too.

But oh, what a way to go to hell.

Tags: @caked-crusader​ @thatesqcrush​ @law-nerd105​ 

Want to be added to my tags? Let me know!

Next Chapter

Also I’d really appreciate feedback on this one since it’s my first time posting smut and I’m nervous ahhaha lol

#rafael barba x reader #rafael barba #ada rafael barba #law and order svu #rafael barba x you #barba x you #law and order special victims unit #law and order: special victims unit #law & order svu #svu fanfiction #rafael barba fanfic #smut on a sunday I am going to hell omg #raul esparza

[littlemisssquiggles]

Pinehead Headcanons: Oscar’s Sacrifice For His Rose

Guys, I’ve been thinking. And y’know what happens when this squiggle meister muses about something; especially if it’s related to RWBY.

For most of V8’s promotion, the showrunners and the CRWBY kept hinting at how much “darker” this new season to be. And as daunting as that may sound to me as an audience member, the obvious question I ask from this is:

 “…Exactly how dark are we talking?”

After all, RWBY has done dark before. I mean look at V3 and the events of the Fall of Beacon. V3 is still considered to be RWBY’s darkest season to date. Beacon fell leaving Vale Kingdom broken and vulnerable without the protection of its main huntsmen academy and a handful of important lead characters from that arc---heroes and villains alike---died. So keeping that in mind, how really dark can V8 be compared to that? What can the showrunners do for this season that they didn’t already do season prior? And here in lies, my hunch.

Well…not real a hunch. Just a thought. An idea. For me, V8 being darker wouldn’t just represent the Fall of Atlas and the death of lead characters important to this volume arc such as General Ironwood or Winter Schnee or even another member of Team JNPR like Ren or Nora.

Nah son. To me, that’d be way too simple for my taste since, as I mentioned earlier, it’s already been done before so fans are already going to expect that, right? For V8 to be dark for me, the showrunners would have to do something incredibly ballsy. Something that’ll really catch their viewers off guard.

I’m not talking about Ruby Rose losing an eye. As much as I’m not really a fan of that popular fan theory, even that seems too light. Not to mention that Ruby’s development as a Silver Eyed Warrior has been quite inconsistent over the past few seasons and is the aspect of her character that’s been the least challenged.

So I’m going to just toss this one out there because it’s been on my mind since I saw this particular shot from V8 opening visuals. It’s the shot of RWBY falling into an abyss of darkness with Ruby reaching out to grasp what appears to be the Relic of Creation while Grimm hands---the same ones conjured by Salem back in V6 to apprehend Hazel as punishment for his failures---restrain her to drag her further and further away from the light.

Imagine if…Ruby dies?

And I’m not just talking teasing her death like how they did it with Weiss back in V5 with Cinder Fall or with Blake in V3 and V6 with Adam or even Yang back in V3 with Adam.

I’m talking, straight up having Ruby Rose be killed instantly by Salem and her corpse is just left behind for her allies to find her dead. An unquantifiable spark snuffed out after the villains had won yet again. And on this grim tone, V8 just ends like THAT.

Mantle Kingdom is no more; just another graveyard for the Grimm like the former Beacon Academy.

The People of Mantle are all dead; tragic victims of a failed attempt at saving them.

Atlas Kingdom has fallen with its own people about to meet the same horrible end as their former Mantlese brethren.

Salem has succeeded in claiming the Relic of Creation and relishes in her triumph by the restored communications to broadcast a cryptic message to the rest of the world. A message unveiling the Fall of the formerly powerful Kingdom of Atlas at the mercy of her Grimm army; letting the leaders of Vale and Vacuo---the last two remaining kingdoms standing in her way of claiming all the Relics; know that they were next in her conquest.

Our heroes have sustained yet another heavy loss. And what’s worse this time is that now no longer had the guidance of their leader. Ruby Rose is dead. Made to be the martyr this time. And on that note, the volume just fades to black on the echoing cries of our heroes and the victims of Atlas as everything falls to ruin.

It’ll be just like the opening foreshadowed. Happy? Never Again…because the simple soul who was meant to be our hero in the end to rise above everything else and vanquish the forces of evil was now gone. Died another failure to a cause like so many others who died in vain throughout Remnant’s history; just as Roman Torchwick predicted that she would.  And such a tragedy this is since this girl. This single rose---this true rose--- was meant to be unique. She was supposed to change everything, right? But alas, her fate was no different than the ones that came before her.

I’m bringing this up because I have this rather farfetched idea involving the Rosegarden pair that I really wanted to share. It’s not exactly a theory per say. It’s definitely not something I expect the canon to do. Shoot, I highly doubt the showrunners would actually pack the chops to kill off their main protagonist.

However the RWBY V8 opening really got me thinking.

“…We said goodbye to all the things we loved. Gave up our lives just to find that it was not enough…”

In a discussion regarding the ending of the Little Prince story, an anon-ninja informed me about there being an alternative interpretation of the conclusion to the prince’s story wherein, instead of perishing from the snake’s venomous snake bite, the prince succeeded in returning home to his beloved rose on their planet...only to discover that his rose had died in his absence with his care and love.

Putting that together with the V8 opening visuals, it made recall a show I used to watch on Lifetime called Witches of East End. I quite liked it. It's a shame it got cancelled after only two seasons though.

Anyways, why I remember this series in particular is that; spoilers but…at some point during the show’s main PLOT, it did the unexpected and had a series villain kill two of our three main characters. And what made the visual even more horrifying to the audience was that the corpses of these characters were left on display for the surviving third main character to find. It doesn’t help that the two characters were also the beloved children of our third lead who she has watched die countless of times since the head witch---Johanna (I believe her name was) was cursed by her father so that each time her daughters died---she would be forced to give birth to them again and watch their life and death happen again and again. And it doesn’t matter what she did or how hard she tried---even when she attempted to hide her family’s identity as witches from her girls---her daughters STILL never lived past the age of 30.

They always died somehow and it didn’t matter if only one of the daughters died either. When either died, the other one would surely follow. So Johanna would give birth. Raise her two girls into fine young women and…watch them die. Living the same vicious cycle.

This is why the V8 opening visuals  made me think of the prospect of Ruby dying. That shot that I showed of Ruby being dragged down into the dark abyss by the Grimm far away from the light made me wonder.

At first I figured this was a sign that we going to see some mental machinations at the hands of Salem. Basically Salem trapping Ruby and her friends in this cryptic illusion where she tortures them with surreal images of their worst fears incarnated in order to break our heroes down both emotionally and psychologically. So that’s one idea.

But then I thought, …what if…instead that moment is meant to be symbolic. Like the Staff of Creation symbolised life while the Grimm and the void represented death and at some point, Ruby will straddle the fine line between the two for this season.

So with all that in mind, this is what I thought. This is the scenario I concocted from this interpretation.

Let's say...

It is the inevitable Fall of Atlas and Salem kills Ruby Rose.

Instead of the wicked witch being dead, it’s our little red rose and because of this, our heroes are left distraught (Yang in particular, not just because Ruby was her baby sister but also given her doubts over her sister’s judgement and all that jazz). However our remaining heroes aren’t given time to really process Ruby's death. All they could do is take her corpse and attempt to flee since Atlas was falling and our remaining hero team needed to leave if they were going to make it out alive.

Since the show hinted at this bit back in V6, my assumption is that at some point, Vacuo Kingdom will answer the call and come to aid the People of Atlas. While they're unable to salvage the kingdom, the least their forces are able to do with the aid they could provide was evacuate the Atlesians to safety in Vacuo.

So ultimately our heroes are rescued by their allies from Vacuo and reunite with teams CFVY and SSSN respectively. However there is no real time to celebrate their reunion since...well...Ruby is dead. Salem is on her way to Vacuo to claim the Sword of Destruction next and, the group are at a loss on what to do next. Not to mention that certain characters---like WBY (mainly Yang) and Oscar---aren’t taking Ruby’s death too well.

Since the usual gimmick for when a main character dies is for their allies to somehow figure out a way to bring them back from the dead, in respect to Ruby,  I had this idea of...perhaps…while staying in Vacuo at Shade Academy, Oscar discovers a way for him to somehow bring Ruby back from the dead?

Let’s say…it has something to do with his semblance or magic. The thought process I had behind this was that considering that Ozma is technically the only living soul to have ever traversed the line between life and death as an immortal being, imagine if...this somehow made Oscar some kind of human life line or spiritual anchor---A being who is connected to the Realm of Life and Death via his rather unique predicament as a member of Ozma's lineage. 

And thus, using magic (or his semblance or whatever---I dunno) Oscar is easily able to travel the Realm Between Life and Death. Y'know sorta like the Avatar. Maybe?

Basically the notion I had was that

Oscar would go to the Realm Between Realms.

Y’know the same white void where we originally saw Ozma meet the God of Light for the first time in the Lost Fable.

Picture it, Oscar mirroring his predecessor in the Lost Fable, awakening in the Realm Between Realms. In this vacant world, let's say…we get another call-back to the Lost Fable where for the first time since his lifetime as Ozma, a Wizard of Light is reunited with a God.

Imagine if...as a nice parallel, Oscar encounters the God of Darkness in the Realm Between Realms. Much like Light to Ozma, Darkness chose to appear before Oscar since the all-knowing God was already fully aware of what the little prince’s intentions were daring to come to such a world. He knew he was coming to find his rose. 

Let's say...to entertain his own amusement, Darkness agrees to give Oscar a helping hand with his quest for Ruby. The God informs that Ruby’s soul was located in the After Life and even takes Oscar to her so that he may reunite with her. However being the cunning God that he was, what Darkness failed to inform Oscar of was that even if he succeeded in finding Ruby amongst the sea of souls in the After, that didn’t necessarily mean that the boy would be permitted to just bring Ruby just like that.

And since Darkness had dominion over Death (as Light had Life), even with his title as his brother’s cherry picked “champion of humanity”, Darkness wasn’t going to give Oscar that respect in the slightest. For in Darkness’ eyes, this foolish boy lost that mercy the instant he dared to defy the order of the world he and his brother fashioned together to step foot into what he described as his domain.  

After all, there are rules to this game; naturally. Life and death go hand in hand---always in perfect balance.

In a nutshell, to Oscar's detriment, Darkness informs the little prince that the only way that he would be allowed to revive Ruby is if he gave up something equivalent in exchange for her salvation.

An eye for an eye. A soul for a soul. So this presents Oscar with a predicament where in order to save Ruby, he had to sacrifice himself in the process. There was no other way. Ruby will be allowed to return to the Realm of the Living to reunite with their friends waiting for her but this also meant that Oscar would be forced to part ways with everything he and everyone he had grown to love.

This included Ruby despite defying the odds just to find her. He wouldn't even be able to be with Ruby as they once were. Not as teammates. Not as friends or anything more. His life would be gone…and Darkness informs the young boy of all of this; expecting him to fold.

But despite the God's warnings, Oscar agrees to the terms. Without question. Out of his devotion to his rose, the little prince was willing to make this great sacrifice for her. And even when questioned by Darkness of why Oscar would dare to commit himself to such a foolish feat especially for a single girl when there were probably a thousand more exactly like her back on Remnant, it is here where we can get the Fox’s lesson to the Prince, in Oscar’s own words.

Yes Ruby was no different from any other rose. Just as Oz once told him, Ruby had her faults and her quirks just like any other person. She’s remarkable yes. Strong. Brave and Kind. But she’s not perfect. Oscar had experienced the consequences of her flaws and learnt that lesson for himself.

But this wasn’t what truly mattered. What made Ruby important to Oscar was that…she was his. His teammate. His friend. His rose. The girl he…loves. The love and respect that Oscar had for this one girl due to the bond they shared together was enough to make Ruby more special to Oscar than any other girl in Remnant.

His love for her was what made her unique to him. A proclamation which genuinely stunned Darkness as he recounted a time when another poor unfortunate soul, blinded by love just as Oscar was now, came before him for the same reasons as Oscar was doing for Ruby.

Only this other helpless soul didn't make the same bold choice as Oscar did. Unlike Oscar, this soul didn’t understand the value of the life they claimed to love. Essentially a comparison between Salem and Oscar. 

So for the meat and potatoes of this post, Oscar sacrifices his soul to restore Ruby to the Land of Living, bolding choosing to take her place in the Afterlife. As Ruby's soul returns home safe, Oscar's descends slowly into the Void of Death.

But despite this, the little prince bears no remorse. No regrets. He wears nothing but a smile on his fate; perfectly content with his sacrifice as he reached a hand to the light to bid one last tearful goodbye to his rose.

His one true love as he slowly closed his eyes and awaited death's embrace.

And…that’s it. That’s the idea. Obviously me being me, there is definitely more to this concept that I had in mind however this post is already getting a bit too lengthy so I’ll just stop right here. (If anyone is curious about the rest of this headcanon, feel free to ask me in my inbox if you’d like).

But for now, yeah, this is the idea I had. Now as I said, this is only a thought. A mere musing. As I’ll repeat again, I don’t actually expect the show to really kill off Ruby for V8. In another different story, this could’ve happened but I’m not expecting this at all from RWBY even it would’ve made for a very interesting twist.

Regardless, I do still love the concept of Oscar Pine---as our titular little prince, declaring his love for his rose by giving his life to bring her back from the dead should she perish in battle. It feels like such a poetic thing to do. But like I said. It’s just another idea I wanted to toss out to the Rosegardening Pinehead and Rosegarden community.

Take it as you will and maybe you all might like it. Who knows? X3

~LittleMissSquiggles (2020)

#rwby #oscar pine #ruby rose #oscar and ruby #rwby rosegarden #rwby volume 8 theories #rwby volume 8 spoilers #squiggles pinehead headcanons #pinehead headcanons

[thelastspeecher]

Best Revenge

Figured I’d name this ficlet with the AU name that I decided upon earlier today and am very proud of.  This ficlet is a follow-up to the previous ficlet in this variation of my Superhero/villain AU, which you can read here.  Be prepared for some more reasons to hate Angie’s ex-husband.  Enjoy.

——————————————————————————————

              Max took a deep breath.  He got out of his car and slowly walked up to Lute’s house.

              Well, it’s Angie’s now, too.  After all, she moved in.  He knocked on the door.

              “Just a sec!” Lute’s voice called.  Max stifled a groan.  He’d been hoping that Angie would answer it.  Lute had hated his guts for years now and, since the divorce had happened, didn’t bother hiding it.

              Not like he hid it much ‘fore the divorce… The door opened.  Lute’s kind face promptly warped into annoyance.  He leaned against the doorjamb, crossing his arms.

              “An’ what exactly do ya want?” Lute asked snidely.

              “I just…I just want to talk to Angie.”

              “Hell, no.”

              “C’mon, Lute, we were friends fer years!” Max begged. Lute shook his head.  “I haven’t even seen her since she filed the papers.”

              “That’s fer a reason, Buster Brown.  She don’t want to see ya.”

              “I-”

              “Unless yer here to drop somethin’ off or pick somethin’ up, get back in yer car and leave,” Lute snapped.  Max straightened.

              “No.”

              “If I have to make ya leave, I will,” Lute said. Max couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.  “What?”

              “Lute, yer the most athletic of yer fam’ly, but that don’t mean much.  I know fer a fact that you wouldn’t stand a chance against me.”

              “Maybe not against his skinny little ass,” a voice said.  A strange man appeared in the doorway.  “But you’d have a hard time taking me out.”  The man smirked at Max.

              Shit.  He’s right.  The stranger was much bigger and bulkier than Lute, even more than Max.  No, calm down.  He could only take ya down if he’s a super.  And he could easily be a normie.

              “Oh, I should prob’ly introduce the two of ya,” Lute drawled lazily.  “Stan, this is Angie’s ex-husband, Max.  Max, this is Stan.”

              “Lemme guess.  He’s yer new boyfriend?” Max asked.

              “Nope.  Angie’s,” Lute said.  Max’s jaw dropped.  “Yeah, she fin’ly found someone who was more her league.”

              “She’s- she’s already moved on?” Max whispered.

              “Yeah.”  Stan looked at Max with pity.  “Honestly, man, it’d be best if you moved on, too.”

              “I-”  Max clenched his jaw.  “No.”

              “No?  Fine, fuck up your life, I don’t care,” Stan said with a shrug.  He turned around.  A rock flew into Max’s hand.  Max growled softly and threw the rock directly at Stan’s back.  With unnervingly fast reflexes, Lute caught it before it could hit.

              “All right, that’s it,” Lute snarled.  “Get off my property.”  Without waiting for a response, Lute shoved Max off the doorstep. Max lost his balance, falling to the ground.  He threw up a hand.  A chunk of rock erupted from the ground, forming a barrier between Max and Lute. “What the-”

              Dammit!  I shouldn’t have revealed that I’m a super.  Max got to his feet.  Better get out of here ‘fore-

              “I don’t think your ex-wife would appreciate how you messed up her garden,” Stan whispered from behind him.  Max slowly turned.  Stan jabbed at Max’s chest.  Max let out a gasp of pain.  The poke felt red-hot.  “Fix it, then get outta here.”  Max waved a hand.  The chunk of rock retreated into the earth.  “Good.  Now, leave, before Lute and I decide to pull that same trick and use our powers to intimidate you.”  Stan’s hair was smoking.  Between that and how it felt like Stan’s touch had burned him, Max could tell what Angie’s new boyfriend’s power was.

              He’s a pyro.  Of course he is.  Pyros suck.  Max’s own archnemesis, Flamethrower, was a pyro.  His mind suddenly registered what Stan had said.

              “Wait, Lute is-”  Max looked over at Lute.

              “No shit he is,” Stan scoffed.  “You know Angie is.  Did you really think her twin would be a normie?”

              “I-”

              “You’re fighting outside your weight class,” Stan said, talking over Max.  “Go home.” Max clenched his hands into fists. Something flew overhead.  Max looked up.

              “Was that-”

              “Yeah.  It was Angie. You were picking a fight to see someone who wasn’t even home,” Stan said shortly.  Max’s fury was wiped away.  His head hanging low, he walked to his car and got inside.

-----

              Stan watched Max drive away.  Lute came over.

              “He’s geokinetic,” Lute commented.

              “Yep.  And there’s only one geokinetic hero in this area.  Richter.”  Stan grinned. “Wanna team up against him next time we see him in his mask?”

              “Of course.”

              “What are you boys doin’ in the front yard starin’ at the street?” Angie asked.  Stan and Lute turned.  Like usual, she had landed in the backyard, then entered the house through the back door. Now, she stood in the front door, looking at them curiously.

              “Oh, nothin’,” Lute said.  “Just people watchin’.”

              “Hmm.”  Angie crossed her arms.  “Don’t know if I believe that, but whatever.”  Lute and Stan went inside, Stan kissing the top of Angie’s head on the way.

              “Coming in?” Stan asked.

              “Nah, I’ve got to weed the bluebells,” Angie said. “I’ll come in when I’m done.” Just as Stan closed the door behind him, leaving Angie on the doorstep, there was a shout.  “What happened to my garden?!”

-----

              It took a week before Lute and Stan had the opportunity to come face-to-face with Richter, aka Angie’s ex-husband.  He showed up at the outskirts of town, trying to stop them from a basic robbery.  Stan assumed it took so long because Richter was supposedly taking some personal time off.  He raised an eyebrow as he looked at Max.

              He shoulda spent a few more days on vacation. Even behind Max’s mask, his eyes were red and swollen.  Damn, he’s really head over heels for Angie, isn’t he?  Stan actually started to feel a bit bad, before reminding himself of what Max had put Angie through.  No, he doesn’t need your sympathy.  He kept trying to force Angie to have kids and quit her job.

              “You seem a bit under the weather, Richter,” Stan taunted, easily catching the rock that had been halfheartedly thrown at him. “Maybe you shoulda stayed home.”

              “Stayed home and had yourself some tasty chicken soup,” Lute added.  He hit Max over the head with a whip of water.  “I don’t really want to catch whatever bug you’ve got.”

              “I’m not sick,” Max said in a choked up voice. “I’m just- I’m going through some stuff right now.”

              “If you really were going through stuff, you wouldn’t be here, completely failing at beating us,” Lute said.  Max growled.  The ground Lute was standing on erupted, sending him flying.  “Son of a-” Lute shouted as he faded into the distance.

              “I was a fool to think villains might go easier on me when I’m in crisis,” Max spat.  “Only someone with a shred of humanity would care about my life falling apart.”  Stan snorted.

              “Sure, we’re the ones who don’t have any humanity,” he said.  “We’re not the ones controlling our significant others.”  Max froze.  He stared at Stan in horror.

              “What do you-”

              “I’ve made a lotta bad decisions,” Stan continued, ignoring Max.  “But not once have I tried to use a baby to trap the person I’m dating.”  Max clenched his hands into fists.

              “That’s not what happened!  I wouldn’t- I wasn’t-”  Max ground his teeth.  “You know who I am and why I’m a mess.”

              “Sure do.”

              “How?”  Max’s eyes narrowed.  “Angie.”  Stan marched up to Max and grabbed him by the collar. 

              “Don’t ever blame her, you piece of shit.  She’s a good person.  Too good for you.  I asked, but she wouldn’t say anything.”

              “Then how-”

              “You snitched, genius, when you used your power in front of me.”  Max’s eyes widened.

              “Yer her new boyfriend,” he whispered, no longer hiding his southern accent.

              “And circle gets the square,” Stan said coldly, letting go of Max.  Max brushed off his costume, glaring at Stan.

              “Was this some sort of scheme to get back at me?” Max demanded.  “Did ya seduce my wife to get her to divorce me?”

              “What?  That’s fucked up!  No!  I was in the right place at the right time to comfort her after you pissed her off.  Like I said, I didn’t know your secret identity until you had the fantastic idea to use your power in front of me.”

              “Hmph.”  Max crossed his arms.  “I can’t believe Angie would date a villain.”

              “You’d be surprised by what Angie would do when she’s not under someone’s thumb.”

              “She wasn’t- she-”

              “You tried to chain her to you with a kid!” Stan snapped.  Max snarled.

              “I did no such thing!  I just thought that we should get to havin’ kids quickly.”

              “Because then she wouldn’t be able to leave you.”

              “No, ‘cause then she would be more open to takin’ in Junior!” Max shouted.  Stan frowned.

              “Junior?”  His eyes widened.  He grabbed fistfuls of the front of Max’s costume and pulled him close.  “Buddy, are you saying what I think you’re saying? Are you- are you saying you already have a kid?”  Max paled. “How the hell would you have a kid, if you and Angie have been dating since high school?  Huh?”

              “Let me go,” Max whispered.

              “No.  Tell me. Tell me you cheated on Angie,” Stan snarled.  Loose dirt flew up, blinding him.  He let go of Max to rub the grit out of his eyes.  To his surprise, when his vision was cleared, Max was still there.  “You shoulda left when you could,” Stan said. His hands burst into flames.  Max stood his ground.

              “If you say a word to Angie, I’ll tell everyone who ya really are,” he said calmly.

              “What makes you think I won’t spread your secret identity to all my coworkers?” Stan demanded.

              “If you did, Angie would never forgive ya,” Max replied.  Stan ground his teeth.

              Dammit.  He’s right.  It doesn’t matter how justified it would be.  She wouldn’t tolerate me snitching like that.

              “Fine,” Stan spat.  “I won’t tell Angie.”  Max nodded. “Leave, before I beat your ass into the dirt.”  Max smirked, then turned around and slowly walked away.  By the time Lute had finally rejoined Stan, the hero was long gone. “Took you a while.”

              “Unlike some folks, I can’t fly,” Lute said.  He brushed dirt off his costume.  “So, what happened?”

              “The guy’s even more of a douche than we thought.”

              “Really?  Why?” Lute asked.  Stan groaned.

              “I can’t tell you.  If I do, he’ll leak my secret identity.”

              “Wh- ya really showed yer hand, huh?” Lute said, putting his hands on his hips.

              “I wanted him to know who was kicking his ass and why.”

              “Still…”  Lute sighed. “So much fer the big revenge plan.”

              “Yeah…hang on.”

              “What?” Lute asked.  Stan grinned.

              “I promised I wouldn’t tell Angie.  I didn’t say anything about not telling you,” he said. Lute’s eyes widened.  “Who knows, maybe what I told you somehow reaches Angie. After all, you didn’t promise not to tell her.”  Lute grinned as well.  “Then she can kick his ass.”

              “Look, Stan, I agree that Angie should be the one to handle him, but it took this long fer her to just divorce him.  What makes ya think she’ll go after Max?”

              “He cheated on her and had a kid with some other woman,” Stan said flatly.  Lute opened and closed his mouth a few times.  After a moment, he nodded.

              “Yeah.  I think that might be enough fer her to finally kick his ass like she should.”

#tbh proof that Angie and Max weren't meant to be is the fact that they control opposing elements lmao #there's even MORE backstory for Max Hillcrest that we've discussed on the discord #and I'm more than happy to share details if people want to hear c: #Best Revenge AU #Superhero/villain AU #Stangie #Stanley Pines #Lute McGucket #Angie McGucket #ficlet #my writing #my stuff #speecher speaks

[iamcath]

You and Your one Kita Shinsuke

It’s quite a surprise and it still amazes you when you start dating one, Kita Shinsuke. You still feel like it was just yesterday when you saw him smile for the first time. It was during your senior year at Inarizaki High.

Kita was not a kind of person who would openly smile at anyone which made him a peerless elite if one might say but that didn’t stop you from admiring him from afar. Some of your friends will ask you ‘why? Why him?’ saying how there's a lot of guys who are much more attractive and friendlier than him but you simply answered them with, “Why not?”. It’s not like you're so pretty to choose whoever you want and even if you are, you would certainly choose Kita over and over again.

This choice happened when you were running in wanting to catch up with your teacher so that you could hand in your report but your lizard brain didn’t think that you might end up injured if you hadn't avoided the wall and landed on it. Instead you bumped to someone who you didn't notice walking along the same path as you earlier. You thought you would fall but when you opened your eyes, you saw this person. It happened so fast and all that you can remember was him holding your waist, preventing you from falling off the ground.

You get so flustered and embarrassed, pulling yourself away, bowing your head when you realize who this person is. It’s Kita Shinsuke from class 3-7, the student who achieved excellent scores in all of his test papers and school activities. The honor student, Kita Shinsuke. “I’m so sorry! Kita-san. I didn’t see you... I was-” you stutter explained.

“Are you hurt?” He asked, face still wearing his usual stiff expressionless self but you had the chance to look at him in his eyes. Not to brag about it, but you know how to read one person’s personality just by looking at them in the eyes and you know that instant, Kita is a nice and dependable type of guy. You shook your head and apologized for the trouble that you caused him.

He shakes his head saying that you didn’t trouble him but he reminded you not to run within the vicinity of the school ground as it may lead you to an accident like this. You bowed your head again stating how sorry you are and you will absolutely take note of this.

And for the first time, you saw that smile. That smile that will change how you see him, a smile that will change your perspective about him. As he walks away, your lips curve into a smile with flushed cheeks as you say to yourself, ‘Kita-san, sure is nice..’

From there, you always made sure that you watched every game that the volleyball team had. It doesn’t matter if it was just a practice or an exhibition game. Although Kita rarely enters the court to play, you know that he, as the captain, really boosts the team's confidence. Kita’s presence is something else. Like a talisman or a good luck charm(but only you would think this) because you know and heard some members of the team talking about how strict he was as a captain. Kita is the only person who can make everyone get their shit together inside and outside of the court. He started noticing you when he saw you cheering at the bleachers. You cheered so loud for him, of course it would be too hard not to notice you. You blushed the hell out of you, when your eyes and his eyes met and your heart almost jumped out of your chest when he gave you that smile again. The kind of smile that he gives when you are around that you almost thought that’s the smile he only wears only for you.

The two of you, as if natural, get closer to each other. He made sure that you wouldn’t skip lunch and even help you out with your failing grades. If you get lucky enough, he will walk with you to your house just to make sure you are safe. Kita Shinsuke is perfect and nobody could tell you otherwise. He’s perfect regardless of what other people say.

Everyone would be so jealous and envious of you if they were given a chance to take a peek of that smile that Kita let out every time you tell him how handsome he was or to hear him laugh when you tell him the crappiest joke but you would never gonna allow anyone to see and hear that. You are selfish even though you can’t call him ‘mine’.

“Why are you so mad today? Did I do something wrong?” Kita asked you. You have been hella annoyed when you saw him accepting another girl’s gift earlier. It’s Valentine's day and you want him to stand still and do nothing at all but to accept your homemade chocolate that you took all night to prepare. And to think that you have been waiting for him for exactly 15 minutes just to see him accepting someone’s chocolate … He's gonna be kidding you.. You are so pissed and decided to let him be.

Although Kita is a very smart, nice and dependable kind of guy, he could also be the stupidest guy ever in the whole wide world. (at least not on academically or being street wise stupid.) The guy is just too dense, to not be able to tell and understand how you feel. Should you try to put it out into words? Nah, scrap that. You can’t even look him straight in the eyes without getting so flustered. You look so red all over your face as you fidget your fingers and he actually mistook it as a fever that he carried you on his back and wouldn’t put you down despite you telling him to do so. He’s just too stupid like that sometimes, that you wanted to smack him down already.

“Nothing.. Go and talk to the girl who has given you that chocolate earlier. Sorry for disturbing your precious time.” you sarcastically answer, pouting your lips, rolling your eyes as you shrug your shoulders.

Kita covered his mouth and looked away from you in an attempt to hold his laughter back. You squint your eyes hard so hard on him as you can’t believe that he actually finds something funny in your annoyances, “Are you laughing at me just now? Wow Shinsuke-kun.”

You don’t call him by his given name but you usually call him with your made up nickname just for him, it could be ‘Shin-shin’ or could be ‘Shinkin’ and if you called him ‘Shinsuke’, that could only mean one thing.. You are mad and already planning on how to kill him.

You huff your cheeks and about to walk out on him when he grabbed your arms and hugged you as he says, “Calm down will ya? It’s not for me.. The girl you saw earlier requested that I give her chocolates to Aran-kun. I’m sorry for laughing okay? I’m actually waiting for you the entire day..”

Your head is spinning that you almost wanted to faint as your heart skips a beat. You wanted to say something but it seems like no words can escape your lips. You have been waiting for this but you anticipated that Kita would actually do something like this to you.

He pulls away slowly as he gives you that smile, that smile that you know is just for you., “So, Can I have my chocolate now?”

“Only because you insist!.” you yelled, trying to hide your flustered face as you handed him the box of chocolates. You finally decided that today will be the day you gonna make him yours. You straighten your posture as your gulp to finally say the words that you have meaning to say to him, “Shin-kun.. I like you..”.

You finally said it, bowing your head as you didn’t want him to see your face. It was so red that it practically showed steam over your head. Your nervous heart can’t take the silence anymore, what were you thinking anyway? There’s no way one Kita Shinsuke could like you back. He’s just nice that he puts up with you all this time.. You are just stupid to think that it was something.. You were about to cry when he touched your face, pulling your chin back up..

And you were a little surprised when you saw his face probably mirroring the same face as you had but he never took his stares away from you, “Don’t you cry at me now.. Whatever you were thinking, that’s not it.. You caught me a little off guard that’s why I couldn’t say anything but.. I also wanted to say something to you.. For a little while now… I like you.. I always have, ever since the day I first saw you. So.. Will you go out with me?” he asked as he rubbed the back of his neck, nervously waiting for your answer.

You never saw him get nervous before as he always says that there’s nothing to be nervous about with the things you usually do daily. So seeing him like this, you knew that he never did this before and this is the first time he said something like this.

You giggled and smiled at him, “Okay.. I’ll do you a favor… I’ll go out with you.” you said which made him smile right back at you and that is how you got yourself one ‘Kita Shinsuke’.

Your body still aches from delivering your new born baby and just opening your eyes with the view that you would love to look at for the rest of your life. It’s been seven years already after that day and you still can’t believe that the man in front of you, who is now cradling your baby in his arms, is the father of your child and your husband.

When Kita noticed you were awake, he approached you slowly, trying not to wake up your son who already looks like him and took a seat beside you on your hospital bed, “You did a great job love, just look how perfect this tiny human is. Thank you for making me the luckiest and the happiest man in the entire world.” he said, tears falling in his eyes.

You wipe it away with your hand, slightly gazing at your ring finger where your wedding ring shines, as you said, “You will be a great father to our baby as you are a great husband to me. Thank you for making me the luckiest and happiest woman in the entire world.”

With those words that bring comfort to your other half, you knew how imperfect Kita was and even though he's not perfect as other people proclaimed him to be, you wouldn’t change anything.. Because for you… He’s imperfect but he’s your Kita Shinsuke.

#haikyuu!! #kita shinsuke #reader/kitashinsuke #F/M pairing #writing just because I can #I love my farm boy